Hotel Waste and Water Management: Pre-Season Checklist

Who is this checklist for?

This article is written for managers of hotels, holiday resorts and boutique accommodation businesses who want to review their waste and water arrangements before the season opens. Waste and water management is one of the areas in a hotel that starts to slip as guest numbers rise, so it is advisable to complete these checks before occupancy picks up. Below you will find, in order, the points to review before the season, the documents to keep ready and the mistakes that come up frequently.

What does waste and water management cover in hotels?

In hotels, waste and water management covers the separate collection, temporary storage and handover to authorised companies of waste generated in kitchens, guest floors, laundries, pools, gardens and technical areas, as well as the efficient use of water and the disposal of wastewater in line with legislation. It concerns not only large resorts but any accommodation business, of any size, that runs a kitchen and a laundry.

Hotel waste is not of a single type. Packaging waste, organic kitchen waste and used cooking oil are part of daily operations, while fluorescent lamps, batteries, chemical containers and paint or solvent residues are handled separately as hazardous waste. Properties with an infirmary or medical unit also add medical waste to the list.

On the water side, where the wastewater goes matters as much as how much water is consumed. Obligations differ between properties connected to the public sewer and hotels that operate their own wastewater treatment plant, so the checklist needs to be adapted to the property's infrastructure.

Step-by-step preparations before the season

Pre-season preparation starts with an assessment of the current situation and ends with clearly assigned responsibilities. The steps below are designed to follow one another; depending on the size of your property, you can combine some of them.

1. Gather last season's data

The first step is to bring together the previous season's water bills, meter readings and waste handover records. This data shows in which months consumption rose and which type of waste was generated in greater quantities than expected. Without a baseline to compare against, it is hard to measure improvement.

2. Walk through the waste areas on site

The floor of the temporary waste storage area, whether it is covered, its labelling and its sorting layout should be checked in person. Make sure hazardous waste is kept apart from other waste in leak-proof, labelled containers. This walk-through is also the time to confirm that separate collection equipment behind the kitchen, in housekeeping stations and in staff areas is complete and in the right place.

3. Check the plumbing and meters

Blocks left unused over the winter carry a higher risk of leaks, dripping fittings and faulty cisterns. By reading the main meter and any sub-meters, you can see whether water is being consumed while the property is closed; a meter that moves when no water is in use points to a hidden leak. Shower heads, tap aerators and garden irrigation timers should also be adjusted before the season starts.

4. Review the wastewater infrastructure

Cleaning kitchen grease traps and servicing manholes and any treatment units are among the pre-season tasks. In hotels that operate their own treatment plant, equipment maintenance, chemical stocks and whether the monitoring plan required under the permit is up to date should be checked. Where the pool backwash water is discharged is another point that needs to be clarified.

5. Confirm contracts and responsibilities

You should confirm that contracts with waste collection companies are current and that these companies are authorised for the relevant waste types. Appointing a person responsible for waste and water in each department prevents gaps in record-keeping during the busy season.

6. Train seasonal staff

Staff who join for the season should know the separate collection rules and water-saving practices from day one. A short, department-specific induction supported by visuals delivers more lasting results than lengthy written instructions.

Pre-season checklist

The list below contains the core items that can be ticked off one by one before the season opens:

• Is the temporary waste storage area clean, labelled and with a separate section for hazardous waste?

• Are there enough separate collection bins, in the right places, in the kitchen, guest floors and staff areas?

• Is there a separate, lidded container and a regular handover arrangement for used cooking oil?

• Are the authorisation documents and contracts of waste collection companies up to date?

• Are waste handover records and declarations on UÇBS (Ulusal Çevre Bilgi Sistemi, the National Environmental Information System) complete?

• If you hold a zero waste certificate, are its requirements still being met?

• Have the main and sub-meters been read and a leak check carried out?

• Have fittings, aerators, cisterns and irrigation systems been adjusted?

• Have grease traps and manholes been cleaned?

• If there is a treatment plant, are its maintenance, permit and monitoring plan up to date?

• Are pool chemicals stored under suitable conditions and in a separate area?

• Have departmental leads been appointed, and is a training plan ready for seasonal staff?

Common mistakes and points to watch

A frequently encountered mistake is carrying out these checks after the season has started, when occupancy is already high. At that point teams are busy, so even when gaps are spotted, they are harder to fix.

Another problem is having separate collection equipment that goes unused. Even if the bins are in place, if staff collect mixed waste in a single bag, sorting exists only on paper. This usually stems from a lack of training or unclear responsibilities.

Disposing of hazardous waste, such as used lamps or chemical drums, together with general waste is another point to watch. Keeping this waste separate and handing it to an authorised company matters both for the environment and for inspections.

On the water side, looking only at the bill can be misleading. The bill shows total consumption but not which area is using too much; without regular meter readings, leaks can go unnoticed for a long time. Finally, keeping records scattered across different departments makes it hard to find documents during an inspection; keeping all documents in a single file is recommended.

Notes for hotels in Antalya

In Antalya, the season builds up quickly, which makes it all the more important to complete waste and water management preparations before the season opens. Rapidly rising guest numbers increase waste volumes and water consumption at the same time.

For coastal properties, protecting water resources and disposing of wastewater without harming the environment is a particularly sensitive issue. In the summer months, when water demand rises, saving measures benefit both operating costs and the region's water resources.

Hotels working with international tour operators may be asked for sustainability certificates and environmental performance data. For properties that want to plan this preparation together with the certification process, we provide support through our sustainable tourism consultancy service.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should hotels carry out waste and water checks?

It is advisable to complete the checks before the season opens, while the property is not yet receiving guests or occupancy is low. That way, any gaps identified can be fixed before the busy period begins. Short checks at regular intervals during the season are also useful.

Do these obligations also apply to a small boutique hotel?

Separate collection of waste and its handover to authorised companies concern accommodation businesses of any size. Some obligations, however, vary depending on the size, capacity and infrastructure of the property. You should therefore assess which scope your business falls under in light of the legislation in force.

How can a water leak be detected in a hotel?

A practical method is to read the meter during a period when no water is being used at the property and check it again after a while. If the meter has moved, there may be a leak. Where sub-meters are installed, it is easier to locate which block or area the leak is in.

Can used cooking oil be poured down the sink?

No, used cooking oil should not be poured down the sink or into the sewer. It must be collected in separate, lidded containers and handed over to companies authorised for this waste. Oil poured down the sink also causes blockages in the grease trap and the wastewater line.

Starting the season prepared

If you would like to review your hotel's pre-season waste and water preparations together, get in touch with us; let us build a checklist suited to your property together.

Written by Uğraş Taylan Sevinç, Environmental Engineer, Asel Çevre Danışmanlık.