Water stewardship is a strategic approach that extends beyond the boundaries of a hotel’s own property. It means that a company recognizes and actively assumes its responsibility for the sustainable management of shared, local water resources. It’s not just about reducing its own consumption, but also about ensuring that the entire watershed remains healthy.
How a hotel becomes a “water steward”:
- Understand local water risk: Analysis: The hotel analyzes the specific water situation in its region. Is it located in an area with water scarcity? Is the groundwater polluted by agriculture or industry? Which ecosystems (rivers, lakes, wetlands) depend on water quality and quantity?
- Maximize internal measures: Foundation: Before taking external action, you must do your own homework. This includes maximizing water efficiency and, where possible, the use of recycling technologies such as greywater treatment.
- Take external, collective action: Principle: Water problems are almost always shared problems. Solutions require cooperation with other stakeholders.
Examples:
- Financing restoration projects: The hotel invests in the restoration of a nearby wetland that serves as a natural water filter and flood protection.
- Partnerships with agriculture: The hotel supports local farmers financially or with expertise in converting to water-saving drip irrigation to reduce groundwater pollution.
- Participation in local water forums: The hotel engages in dialogue with the community, authorities, and other businesses to develop a joint plan for sustainable water management.
A hotel that practices water stewardship not only secures its own long-term operating basis (without water, there is no tourism), but also creates enormous added value for the entire region and strengthens its social license to operate.