The use of water in the public dispensers is nowadays free.
The users usually misuse them wasting the water.
After an study made by TOT COMERCIAL SA during July 2006 in the Mediterranean beaches (Tarragona · Spain), it was detected that only a 34% of water was really used for its end. The rest of water was running even when the user was not under the shower, either because of extremely long uses or, in many cases, because of children who were playing with it. A kid playing with the shower wastes 500 litres in 20 minutes.
Conclusion of preliminary studies:
- When the water has not an economical value, there is an indiscriminate use.
- The measure adopted to decrease and control the consumption is a controller installed in every dispenser. It works with a prepaid card. This cost will be symbolic (depends on each institution in charge of these dispensers). But the fact to pay avoids not misusing them.