Disappointment looms for expats on Spain’s Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca looking forward to taking a dip in residential complex swimming pools

AS the weather heats up along Spain’s costas, expats looking forward to being able to take a dip in their residential complex pools when the second phase of the lockdown de-escalation comes into force could be seriously disappointed.

The association representing residential community administrators warns that many of the country’s pools will not to be able to reopen because the communities of owners lack the resources to be able to comply with all the health and safety conditions set out by the government.

The Property Administration General Council points out there are an awful lot of residential communities without anyone in charge of the facilities who would be able to control the number of people using the pool at any one time, which is set at 30 per cent of capacity.

The general council also makes the point that in order to be able to use the pool it will be necessary to organise pre-arranged times and to organise a timetable for turns, outside of which entry to the pool will not be allowed.

“It is not possible to manage prior appointments without personnel, or a telephone at least, and the immense majority of the communities of owners lack both resources,” the association stressed.

The general council referred to what it expects will be “an enormous controversy” in trying to reach agreements on establishing turns in pools, especially when community of owner meetings are still not authorised.

In regard to areas around pools and ensuring a two-metre distance between each pool-goer, the property administrators commented that if spaces are marked out for each person and for entry and walking around, this could actually reduce the available area to less than the obligatory capacity of 30 per cent, with access again by prior appointment.

The government regulations also state that before pools are opened again all the facilities must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, particularly enclosed areas like changing rooms and toilets.