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It's only the second day of June and already the sun is beating down on Murcia. Over in Rincón de Seca, Elena Brugarolas is busy overseeing the construction of a private swimming pool that will be ready in just a week. As two workers lay mosaic tiles, she's not surprised by the constant demand. "The demand for swimming pools in this area is constant. It's hot, of course, but it's also a place for families to gather," she says. Elena has dedicated her entire life to this work, following in her father's footsteps.

 

Her latest project is just one of nearly 11,000 pools in Murcia, keeping the city in fourth place across Spain. You might wonder why the craze shows no signs of stopping. Longer summers with higher temperatures, plenty of available space, and lower installation and maintenance costs have all fuelled the growth, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Here's something interesting: people start thinking about building a pool in January and February. "They get nervous, but they're late to the party," says Brugarolas, who has run her own business, Piscinas InPool, in Guadalupe since 2011. Miguel Ángel Bernal from Piscinas Gomariz puts it simply: "It happens every year. When the heat arrives, people remember, like they remember air conditioning."

 

The numbers tell the story. By the end of 2025, there were 10,852 outdoor swimming pools according to the General Directorate of the Cadastre. That year, only 166 more were built than in 2024, suggesting the trend is stabilising. But 2023 was a big year, with 1,163 new pools added.

 

Murcia is one of just four Spanish locations with more than 10,000 pools. Only Madrid (14,757), Córdoba (12,053) and Marbella (11,296) have more. In the Region of Murcia, Cartagena comes next with 5,315, followed by Molina de Segura (4,983), Mazarrón (3,954) and San Javier (2,427). Murcia alone accounts for 20% of the region's total of 56,999.

 

For new residential developments, having a pool is now essential. José Ramón Blázquez from the Association of Real Estate Developers says including pools "doesn't represent an excessive increase in expenses, provides significant benefits for families, and these properties experience greater appreciation in value."

 

Starting costs are around €12,000, with 8x4 metres being the most common size. Brugarolas says they also build smaller ones, like 4x2 metres, because "when people have a little bit of space, they build a pool." She's convinced it pays for itself quickly: "In the end, they save money by not having a beer out, because they prefer to have it at home by their pool."

 

Thanks to heat pumps with lower costs and energy demands, the swimming season now stretches from March to October.

 

 

Image: Mariakray/Pixabay