Camping de la Presqu’île in Crozon, Finistère, has begun reusing treated wastewater from showers, washbasins, and washing machines for other purposes across the campsite, in a project that the business believes is the first of its kind among tourist accommodations in France.
The campsite began operating the water reuse system in May 2026 after several years of preparation and regulatory changes that allowed the project to move forward. Rather than sending wastewater directly into the sewer system, the campsite collects grey water separately from wastewater generated by toilets and kitchens. The grey water is then treated and reused for toilet flushing, outdoor cleaning, and watering vegetation.
For co-owners Franck and Fabienne Ribotta, the initiative developed from efforts to reduce operating costs and resource consumption. The couple took over Camping de la Presqu’île in 2014 and subsequently looked for ways to reduce spending on waste management, electricity, and water.
When renovating a sanitary block dating from 1978 in 2018, the owners installed separate plumbing networks for grey water and sewage. This created the infrastructure needed for potential water reuse in the future. In 2023, they began developing the recycling system with French company Nereus, but the project had to wait for a change in French regulations concerning water reuse in July 2024.
Construction and installation work took place in early 2026, with the system becoming operational in May, according to The Connexion. The €133,506 project combines prefiltration, nanofiltration, activated carbon, and chlorination to treat the collected water. According to the campsite, the resulting water reaches a quality close to drinking water and can be processed at a rate of up to 20 cubic meters per day.
The campsite estimates that the system will save approximately 650 cubic meters of drinking water annually, representing average savings of about €2,900 per year. Overall water consumption is expected to fall by approximately 40%, with the business targeting a reduction from about 79 liters per overnight stay to 50 liters.
“It started out as an economic necessity,” said co-owner Franck Ribotta, who runs the campsite with his wife Fabienne.
The wastewater project forms part of a broader water-management strategy at the campsite. Previous measures have included low-flow showers and toilets, rainwater collection tanks for irrigation, and real-time monitoring designed to identify leaks.
The campsite estimates that the project has a projected payback period of 11 years when public funding is included. Without subsidies, the estimated payback period would increase to 37 years. Beyond the direct financial return, the owners expect the system to reduce the site’s exposure to future water-use restrictions.
“Recycling water is no longer an option but the solution to water shortage,” Mr Ribotta said.
The investment also comes as water availability becomes a growing operational consideration for tourism businesses in parts of France. Finistère was placed under the highest “crisis” drought alert on August 7, with restrictions affecting activities including vehicle washing, outdoor cleaning, and irrigation. Treated-water reuse, including systems such as the one installed at Camping de la Presqu’île, is exempt from those restrictions.
For campground and outdoor hospitality operators, the project illustrates how water reuse can be approached as both an infrastructure investment and a resource-management measure.
Separating grey water at the plumbing stage allowed the campsite to develop a treatment system later, while the combination of water-saving fixtures, rainwater collection, leak monitoring, and wastewater reuse provides several ways to reduce dependence on potable water.
The financial case will depend on factors such as system costs, available subsidies, local regulations, occupancy, and annual water consumption, but the campsite’s experience also demonstrates the potential importance of planning water infrastructure before regulatory or supply pressures become more acute.
