Following Greece, new rules for beaches will appear this year in Italy.
Thus, the authorities intend to oblige tenants and hoteliers to equip the beach area and sanitary facilities on it with showers with drinking water.
Under new health and safety rules, water that comes into contact with people must be “intended for human consumption.” Therefore, the water used for sanitary facilities on the beach, at the pool, and other objects with which people come into contact must be potable.
However, many establishments in Italy receive water from wells rather than from water supply networks. This is a problem for many operators, hoteliers, and resorts: they must have time to re-equip their communications before the start of the summer season, which requires costs and approvals.
In addition, if the summer is hot, the centralized water supply may be limited, which means showers on the beaches will not work.
The Association of Beach Operators opposes the innovation, demands its cancellation, and states: “You should not waste drinking water to wash your feet after visiting the beach.”