Every year since 1993, World Water Day – which was created by the United Nations during a conference on the environment and development one year earlier – has been celebrated around the globe on 22 March.

This date has been commemorated since then by a specific annual theme, defined by the organisation and with the objective of addressing problems related to the use of water and water resources. To that end, public water utilities company Acosol – which comes under the auspices of the Western Costa del Sol Association/Council of Municipalities and supplies most of this tourist area’s golf courses with recycled water – has become involved in the celebrations.

It is a day when debate centres on how we should manage our water resources in the future. In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly designated 22 March as the first World Water Day. More than 20 years have now passed and World Water Day continues to be celebrated around the globe, each year focusing on a different subject. Highlighted is a concern for conservation of the environment, and of such an important resource as water.

On this occasion, the theme chosen to mark World Water Day was “Water and Sustainable Development”. According to the United Nations organisation , “development that satisfies the needs of the present while not endangering the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (UN, 1987).

Acosol joined this campaign with the aim of raising awareness about water and sanitation, the company’s basic foundations. World Water Day is a key date for companies that are dedicated to the management and supply of water, as is the case of Acosol. A commitment to respect for the environment plays a key role in the development of a company of this kind.

Acosol’s work when it comes to potable water is undertaken through a process of improving quality and wastewater, focusing on three main aspects: collecting wastewater; avoiding its contamination of irrigation channels, treating it in order to prevent contamination of the sea; and recycling it for later use for irrigation, thus reducing consumption of drinkable water.

In addition, to guarantee supply to the whole Costa del Sol, the water utilities company has carried out work to inter-connect catchment areas between Campo de Gibraltar, Río Verde, Málaga and Axarquia. Acosol is therefore able to transfer water from one catchment area to another, thus balancing resources. This is an important point in achieving proper management of water resources.

Furthermore, Acosol maintains more than 800 kilometres of supply pipeline (principal and secondary) that carry water to private homes and general deposit tanks for urbanisations and municipalities, so that other companies can then take charge of distributing it to users.

Water supply on the western Costa del Sol comes from various sources; surface resources, such as the Concepción and Río Verde dams, the main contribution; desalination, which is a special resource that ensures minimum quantity in users’ supply; and underground resources.

 

AWARENESS

Raising awareness of water savings is essential in this respect, and to that end just a few simple steps need to be taken:

- Washing machines and dishwashers always full, as they use the same amount of water independently of the load of clothes or utensils, respectively. So, filling them with the maximum load can mean savings of up to 40 litres of water and optimise water consumption.

- Closing taps properly after use, as just one dripping tap can use more than 90 litres of water a week.

- Taking a daily five-minute shower, instead of a bath, can help save up to 400 litres of water a week.

- Irrigating during the first and last hours of the day – albeit not in excess – can also achieve considerable water savings, as this reduces loss due to evaporation.

- Not using the toilet as a wastepaper basket. If you place a wastepaper basket in the bathroom you will avoid flushing the toilet every time you use the toilet as a rubbish bin.

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