Hospitality News South Africa

Water wise hospitality in Table Mountain National Park

With the introduction of level six water restrictions in Cape Town as of 1 January 2018, the tourism industry continues to find innovative ways to reduce water consumption in hotels to help alleviate the drought situation in the Western Cape.
Image Supplied
Image Supplied

Tintswalo Atlantic is one such establishment who has invested in new technology to aid water saving with the installation of pressure reducers on all of its taps and showers. This, together with other water saving measures, have brought down water consumption at the five-star lodge by 50%.

General manager, Ryno du Rand says that various other options are currently being explored to save water. “Tintswalo Atlantic is the only hotel located within the Table Mountain National Park, and we, therefore, exist close to nature and in tune with the elements. Apart from saving water, ultimately our goal would be for Tintswalo Atlantic to go ‘off the grid’ and be self-sufficient in terms of the supply of both water and power.”

Increasing water saving measures

Tintswalo Atlantic has switched its laundry operations to Green Planet Laundry – a local commercial laundry operation which makes use of non-potable, purified borehole water, which does not tap into the city’s precious municipal drinking water supply. The hotel has further reduced its water consumption by having its laundry operations also include not changing bed linen daily, and the use of top quality, recyclable paper napkins during meal service, and at guest basins – in addition to the availability of waterless hand sanitiser throughout the hotel.

Although the inviting oceanside seawater swimming pool is well utilised by guests on hot summer days, the creative team at Tintswalo Atlantic have gone to great lengths to inform and educate guests about the water crisis.

“Our signature messages in ‘shell writing’ now also extend to the baths in guest rooms. A beautifully laid-out request in the bath to save water does seem to do the trick and usually manages to convince even the greatest bath lover to swop a soaking in a deep tub with a refreshing, quick shower!” says du Rand.

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