No swimming pool this year because of energy prices?

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No swimming pool this year because of energy prices

Faced with soaring energy prices, around thirty public swimming pools managed by the company Vert Marine had no choice but to close their doors on Monday, September 5, for a “temporary period”. A decision that serves many users, including children and schools. Are swimming lessons likely to be suspended?

The impact of soaring energy prices spares no sector, including swimming pool companies. This Monday, September 5, in several towns in France, a thirties swimming pools public, operated by the company Vert Marine, had to close their doors overnight. For “a temporary duration”thus putting “partially unemployed staff“, said the company in a press release sent to AFP. The reason given? “Rises in the cost of energy (…) no longer allow us today to manage equipment in an economically balanced and socially sustainable way.” And for good reason, swimming pools are particularly energy-intensive establishments. “We must both heat the water, but also have tools that allow us to have clean air, inside. We must therefore treat the water, and the air”, reminds the elected Patrick Apperré to 20 minutes. The energy bill of the company Vert Marine would also have increased from 15 to 100 million euros, i.e. “the total annual turnover”. “If this increase were impacted on the price of entry into establishments”, it would be “multiplied by three. It’s unthinkable!”, adds the company.

With a little hindsight, the closure of these establishments can represent a real problem in the long term, not only for the operating companies and the communities but also for the users and the various structures which use the services of the swimming pools, such as sports clubs. or schools. In France, the swimming is part of the official school program set up by the National Education. “Ensuring that all children learn to swim safely is a major lever for preventing accidents in everyday life among children under 15”, indicates the government website. As a reminder, accidental drownings are responsible each year for around 1,000 deaths among people under 25 years of age. Hence the importance of this learning which begins in primary school, sometimes as early as kindergarten, and continues until high school, even as an extracurricular activity.

Faced with the problem, insufficient solutions

The Vert Marine company is not the only one to face these problems, other swimming pools are also in difficulty. Since this summer, several establishments have been trying somehow to put in place solutions to save some money and avoid having to close. Indeed, as our colleagues from 20 Minutes point out, in Paris, for example, the town hall has decided to renovate certain swimming pools which consume a lot, in order to be able to reduce their consumption by 30 to 35%. In other departments, communities have chosen to lower the temperature of the water or to adjust opening hours. Solutions that are unfortunately insufficient. Moreover, according to the association France Urbaine, which represents metropolises and large cities, about 10% of their 108 members are planning pool closures this winter.

Vert Marine, for its part, is asking communities and the government to react quickly by taking “the necessary and unprecedented decisions to return to bearable costs”.

Which public pools are closed until further notice?

In total, around thirty public swimming pools and aquatic centers would be closed until further notice throughout France. In Versailles, Nîmes, Montauban or even Limoges. Among them are:

  • The Aquavabre swimming pool in Brignoles (Var)
  • The Aqua Retz swimming pool in Sainte-Pazanne (Loire-Atlantique)
  • The Calyssia swimming pool in Armentières (Hauts-de-France)
  • The Guy-Bey swimming pool in Meudon (Hauts-de-Seine)
  • The aquatic center of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine (Yvelines)
  • The aquatic center of Saint-Cyr-l’Ecole (Yvelines)
  • The Montbauron swimming pool in Versailles (Yvelines)
  • The Aquasport center in Mantes-la-Ville (Yvelines)
  • The Océabul aquatic center in Saint-Jean-de-Monts (Vendée)
  • The Cassis swimming pool (Bouches-du-Rhône)
  • The Nemausa aquatic center in Nîmes (Gard)
  • The Domes in Rivesaltes (Roussillon)
  • The Hippocampe aquatic center in Granville (Manche)
  • The Diabolo aquatic complex in Bourg-de-Péage (Drôme)
  • The Aygueblue swimming pool in Saint-Geours-de-Maremne (Landes)
  • The Aquapolis (Limoges)
  • The Fitz-James swimming pool (Hauts-de-France)
  • The Aquaval aquatic center in Nogent-le-Rotrou (Eure-et-Loir)
  • The aquatic area of ​​Malestroit (Morbihan)
  • The ValséO intermunicipal aquatic center in Valserhône (Ain)

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