It should have been a summer like it used to be: Corona-related restrictions will finally no longer apply in the new bathing season, whether it’s distance rules, limited numbers of guests or time slots for entry.

Clear path for the visit to the outdoor pool, that was the hope.

But it won't be a completely carefree summer in the pools after all.

The water gushing from the tap into the pool is twelve degrees Celsius cold.

It needs a lot of energy to reach a comfortable temperature of 28 degrees.

Too much, say experts, given the rising gas prices.

For this reason, the water in many swimming pools in Germany has recently only been heated to 26 degrees Celsius.

In a few, slides and saunas have already been shut down.

In Berlin, for example, all outdoor pools are required to lower the water temperature by up to two degrees.

The only exceptions are the baths, which heat the water exclusively with solar energy.

Also excluded are non-swimmer pools, therapy pools and pure children's summer pools.

"In the 37 indoor swimming pools, we are reducing the temperatures by about one degree," says the Berlin pools.

Up to 25 percent of energy and several thousand euros should be saved.

The companies spend between 750,000 and 850,000 euros on gas per year.

The total cost of heating the pools in Berlin is 3.5 million euros a year.

Prepare for the worst case

Others go even further: In the Hessian forest swimming pool in Kronberg, heating with natural gas is completely avoided and the start of the season is therefore postponed by two weeks to May 14th.

Then the outside temperature and weather should make it possible to heat the water exclusively with solar energy.

A third of the gas consumption should be saved.

In 2021, gas consumption was around 134,000 kilowatt hours.

That corresponds to costs of almost 6,000 euros, explains the city's spokesman, Andreas Bloching.

A cost saving of 45,000 kilowatt hours, around 2,000 euros, is expected.

"If we assume that energy prices will continue to rise, the cost savings should be even higher," Bloching suspects.

Meanwhile, the 6,000 indoor and outdoor pools in Germany not only have to adapt to high prices, but also prepare for emergencies: In mid-April, the German Society for Bathing (DGfdB) drew attention with a twelve-page report, the potential worst-case scenarios describes.

Scenario one means "significantly reduced energy supplies to swimming pools": "Operation is only possible under very specific, very energy-saving conditions."

Scenario two even provides for swimming pools to be completely closed for a short time: "Swimming pools are not considered critical infrastructure and, with their specifically high energy consumption in the areas of heat and electricity, have to be taken off the grid at short notice," says the report.

The lowering of the pool water temperature is specified as the first measure that can be implemented as quickly as possible.

If you can make a contribution in this way to ensure that there is still enough gas in the storage tanks next winter to supply critical infrastructure such as hospitals, then it will "certainly find acceptance among bathers," hopes Stefan Mersmann from the DGfdB.

So far, climate protection has been the priority

The crisis does not hit the pools unprepared: "We have been dealing with the topic of energy efficiency for a long time - for example during the Corona crisis," says the DGfdB.

Because you couldn't simply switch off the swimming pools even during the corona lockdown - the costs for maintenance and cleaning would be too high.

So far, however, climate protection has always been in the foreground.

"Now it turns out that many of the planned measures have to be implemented much more quickly," says the report.

In fact, the measure is largely understood - both by the pools and the bathers.

“We experience a lot of solidarity.

Only individual companies are not yet involved," says the press department of the DGfdB.

Individually, pools would see a market advantage over the competition if they did not lower the temperature.

The Frankfurt pools also want to stay at the usual water temperatures.

"A visit to the swimming pool must remain a pleasant experience for everyone," explains the manager, Boris Zielinski.

After all, the ticket prices will not change, despite the energy savings.