The reduction of the irrigated surface, the use of a type of grass more resistant to drought or the reorientation of the sprinklers are some of the measures that golf courses have already adopted or will begin to apply shortly in their facilities so that the water consumption is the minimum necessary.
It is estimated that every year, those in Catalonia spend, on average, according to the Catalan Water Agency (ACA), a total of 7.9 hm/year to irrigate the grass. 65% is reclaimed water and the rest comes from wells. A figure that, according to sources in the sector, confirmed by the ACA, represents around 0.3% of the total water consumed in a year in Catalonia, which is around 1,000 hm.
According to the Catalan Golf Federation, 95% of the courses use non-potable reclaimed water, which comes from the sewage system and is treated in the treatment plant. “If we didn’t use it, it would end up in the river; we are part of the solution to that problem”, explains an adviser to these facilities, which for years have turned towards a more sustainable business model. The investment to connect to a treatment plant ranges from one to four million euros, according to Lluís Parera, member of the board of directors of the Spanish Association of Golf Courses, member of the Catalan Federation and president of the Association of Golf Courses of Costa brava.
Some facilities such as the Camiral Golf
The Golf Empordà also has in its energy saving plan the replacement of the grass within three years. “It would allow us to go from irrigating two or three times a week to just once,” explains Antoni Aguayo, Golf Empordà’s financial director, who adds that a year ago they implemented a five-year plan that also includes replacing the sprinklers on the two fields. “If until now they watered 360 degrees, we have reoriented them and they only water the part we want,” he explains. With the implementation of this measure, they affirm that they will have halved the water used.
Pioneers in the use of recycled water were the Golf d’Aro facilities in 1990. Its manager, Rocío Aranda, affirms that it was the “first course in Catalonia” that connected the irrigation system to a treatment plant. For six years they have not wetted the areas that do not participate in the game, leaving the vegetation to grow. At Golf Sant Cugat, one of the few that irrigate with wells, they are working to bring reclaimed water from the Sabadell-Riu Sec treatment plant. Until that arrives, its manager, Sergi Corretja, explains that they have adopted measures such as auditing the irrigation to detect and repair leaks or approve a smart sprinkler system to save 35% on irrigation on greens.
The energy consumption to get the reclaimed water to the facilities through a pumping system is considerable. Parera explains that some clubs have come to pay 150,000 euros in electricity and the change of grass means, on average, an outlay of 50,000 euros per hole.
With these measures, the president of the Catalan Golf Federation, Ramon Nogué, indicates that “we have many arguments not to feel demonized” and that regardless of what the ACA dictates, “we have a plan A, B, C and D, which it would ultimately lead us to water only the green, the area surrounding the hole.”
Drought restrictions do not affect the use of reclaimed water, if there is sufficient flow in the treatment plants; only to well water. In the alert phase, the reduction is 25% and in an emergency, 50%.
