Île d'Oléron: a campsite limits showers to seven minutes to save water

At the Flots-Atlantique campsite in Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron, vacationers now have seven minutes to shower twice a day. A connected bracelet activates the water and precisely measures the usage time. Every thirty seconds, the user must press a button to keep the water flowing. A light indicator remains green for the first five minutes, then turns orange and then red after six minutes, before automatically shutting off after seven minutes.

The manager, Cyril Dubreau, invested €10,000 in the system after a major leak in 2024. Between August 5th and 12th, the average shower time at his establishment was 4 minutes and 11 seconds, whereas some guests previously spent fifteen to thirty minutes in the restrooms. According to him, the measure reduces both water consumption and waiting time. It has been well received by the vast majority of campers, despite reservations from approximately 5% of vacationers.

A target of seven million cubic meters saved

This initiative comes as Charente-Maritime anticipates a peak in drinking water consumption around August 15th. On the islands of Ré and Oléron, the population can increase tenfold during the summer. Eau 17, the organization responsible for water supply in the department, states that the facilities are currently operating at maximum capacity, with very little room for maneuver in the event of a further increase in demand. Campsites are particularly affected due to the number of showers, toilets, swimming pools, and mobile homes they operate.

The French National Federation of Outdoor Hospitality aims to save seven million cubic meters of water per season by 2030. It encourages the installation of aerators, low-flow showerheads, timers, and leak detectors, as well as the reuse of certain wastewater. In the Pyrénées-Orientales department, some campsites are already collecting water used to wash swimming pool filters and making it available to firefighters. On the Île d'Oléron, screens displaying real-time water and electricity consumption will also be installed in mobile homes starting next season.