💧 Water is everywhere in a hotel. From guest showers and laundry operations to kitchens, swimming pools, and landscaped gardens, water touches every part of daily operations. But with rising water scarcity and growing concerns around water quality, hotels are now looking beyond how much water they use to how and where it flows across their properties. Abu Dhabi, UAE is recognised as a high-risk water scarcity destination in the global hospitality Destination Water Risk Index — published by World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance highlighting the importance of strong water stewardship practices in the region.
That’s why our Sustainability Stories podcast episode featuring Alicia Dauth is both timely and essential listening.
Podcast Spotlight: Water Stewardship with Alicia Dauth
In Season 1, Episode 46, Sustainability Kiosk Founder Radhika Arapally speaks with Alicia Dauth, Water Assurance Technical Lead at Water Security Collective. Drawing from her experience working with hotels across multiple regions, Alicia shares practical strategies for effective water stewardship in hospitality — from risk management to guest engagement.
🎧 Listen now to discover how your hotel can reduce water consumption, improve efficiency, and build long-term resilience.
Key Takeaways from the episode:
💧 Guest Engagement in Hotel Sustainability:
How hotels talk about water matters. When guests understand their impact and feel part of the sustainability journey, they are far more likely to participate in conservation efforts.
💧 Understanding Water Use:
Alicia encourages hoteliers to ask critical questions:
- Where is the being used the most?
- Are consumption and quality being monitored effectively?
- Which departments drive the highest usage?
💧 Water Mapping:
Understanding the full water journey — from source to discharge — is crucial. Even outsourced services like laundry should be assessed for water use, chemical impact, and transportation emissions.
💧 Guidance and Innovation:
Industry standards and smart technologies help hotels structure their water strategies. Alicia discusses:
-
Water stewardship frameworks
-
Certification programmes
-
Water recovery and efficiency systems
Expert Advice from Alicia Dauth:
“You have to start somewhere – water stewardship is a journey. It is something that we can carry throughout different parts of our lives, and there may be hurdles but you can still do a good job and benefit your guests and hotel.”
About Water Collective:
Water Security Collective, a UAE-based firm, helps organisations understand and act on water‑related risks. They provide expert advisory services, professional training, and risk assessment services. Their work supports governments, businesses, and leaders in building resilience and turning water challenges into strategic opportunities.
Show notes & Resources referenced in the episode:
💧 Destination Water Risk Index (DWRI by the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance)
💧 Unpacking collective action in water stewardship
Explore validated solutions for water management on our Marketplace
Supporting Hotels on Their Sustainability Journey
At Sustainability Kiosk, we help hotels embed sustainability into daily operations so it becomes a shared effort across teams. From training to solution sourcing, we support hotels in making sustainability practical and impactful.
Reach out to us to find out how we can support your hotel.
Explore more episodes on the Sustainability Stories podcast, for insights on practical sustainability tips and how hospitality can balance people, planet and profits.
