Hugo Fernández is a resident of Matadepera who worked for several years with Lluís Martín, a leader in the municipality – now retired – doing swimming pool maintenance, until he created his own company, Pisicines Bonfer, an SME that manages the cleaning and maintenance of some 80 clients.
80% are in Matadepera and the rest in Terrassa, Sant Quirze del Vallès, Sant Cugat del Vallès and Barcelona, ??specifically in Pedralbes and Vallvidrera. In this last year of extreme drought, he already sensed that the lack of rain would complicate his profession. But I didn’t expect it to affect him so much, nor his employee until a few months ago.
Before the decree of the Generalitat and the municipal ordinance were published, I had a work routine. “The usual maintenance throughout the year consists of cleaning everything you find in the water, passing the brushes to the bottom, cleaning the filter and measuring the chemical parameters, especially leveling the pH and chlorine. In summer, once a week, and in winter, we go every two weeks.”
He clarifies that “swimming pools require maintenance all year round, which is why, today, they are not emptied and filled, as was done decades ago.” He remembers that decades ago, the “water was left green in the winter, then it was emptied, you cleaned it, and you refilled it.”
Sitting in front of a family member from an urbanization in Matadepera, the technician clarifies that “the water in this pool is 10 years old. About 300 liters are lost by washing the filter, every 15 days, in a family with 4 or 5 members who enjoy it. If you divide those liters into days, the water loss is ridiculous. In a 15-minute individual shower, 240 liters are spent,” he compares.
Now, with the drought and the regulations that are changing every moment, those in their profession are baffled. “The regulations dictate that we cannot add water to the pool. We always have to take into account the usual loss due to evaporation when it is hot and due to filter maintenance. So, if the level drops and is not renewed, the water will turn bad and green, mosquitoes will breed and, unfortunately, the remedy will be worse than the disease.”
Ask accurate questions: “And where does that water go? It will end up being lost and, then, it will be a disaster for everyone.” “Emptying the pools would be a big mistake and not allowing them to be filled is also a big mistake,” laments Fernández, in the middle of a stressful work situation. Is your job in danger? “At the beginning of the drought crisis, I was calm because nowhere in the world have swimming pools been banned. But now, with the passage of time and so much uncertainty and without clear rules, I do suffer.”
In one way or another, the drought affects the profession. But not only for me and my partner, but for all the workers who are dedicated to this sector.” This expert recognizes that there are “small family businesses that have been building swimming pools for years. Then, there are those who make equipment for swimming pools… What will happen to them? Should we stop building swimming pools? More than one will have to close because good management is not being done. We have more questions than answers, right now. Every two years, Barcelona hosts the Piscina fair
He defends that you can have a swimming pool in a sustainable way. He recommends saline electrolysis, a system that uses 5-6 grams of salt per liter, which produces chlorination, through this electrolysis. And in energy savings, he points out that “there are motors that consume five times less than those we have been using in the last 30 years. Because when talking about the climate crisis it is also worth reflecting on the use of energy, not just water. “There is a lot of evolution and improvements in the sector.”
In parallel, he exemplifies that to reduce water evaporation when the heat increases, “you can put a thermal blanket, which is like a motorized blind and maintains the water temperature well. In our experience, in summer – without rain – the water level drops about three centimeters a week, between washing filters, people bathing and evaporation. In a 6 x 3 meter pool like this –referring to the one in the image– about 540 liters would evaporate per week, out of the approximately 30,000 liters it has.”
Hugo is fully aware of the debate that exists with swimming pools, whether they are considered climate refuge, how to manage water… He offers accurate and well-reasoned thinking. “When we talk about alternatives these days, there are those who say: ‘ah, well we fill it with sea water.’ Careful! Two years ago, filling a tank with seawater cost 400 euros. If they bring it to you now, it has risen to about 2,000.” “In addition,” he warns, “you have between 36 and 40 grams of salt per liter. What’s happening? You couldn’t throw it into the sewer and therefore you would have to hire a vat again to take it away.”
In the case of a chlorinated freshwater pool, where a client wanted to add seawater, “they would have to change the filtration system of their pool. If not, the pump would suffer a lot and the seals would also deteriorate.” And he continues with more arguments: “If we are in this drought and the goal is to use less water, when you get out of the pool with sea water, what will you do? Get washed! In the end, if five people bathe, you will need five showers to avoid getting sticky, like when you come out of the sea. If you have a pool it is to enjoy it and be comfortable. This seawater alternative is not an effective solution,” he concludes.
