Non-watered hockey turf update

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is pursuing synthetic turf surfaces that have the playing characteristics of wet turf but do not require watering to achieve them. It is an ambitious desire and one that looks difficult to achieve. What is the present status?

By: Guy Oldenkotte

Back in 2018, FIH’s decision was viewed as just a hopeful wish, but anno 2022, the severity of certain weather phenomena or their occurrence in places that never expected to be on the receiving end, have made such pursuit an absolute necessity. The imbalance of our water consumption is particularly worrisome. According to the Sports Turf Research Institute, the world’s daily consumption of potable water is estimated to be around 10 billion litres. Yet, many communities around the world are forced to survive on only a few drops due to a lack of rainfall. Potable water has become so precious that any use other than answering the basic needs of plants, animals or humans, should be considered or re-evaluated carefully which is why FIH decided to pursue this quest.

Back in 2018, a single watering of one hockey field required 18,000 litres of water. These days, this demand has been dropped to approximately 6,000 litres while modern synthetic turf hockey fields also tend to hold water better. Nevertheless, elite surfaces for hockey rely heavily on water to deliver ball control, ball speed, surface grip and consistency, as well as  helping to minimise skin burns when sliding or falling. The successful development of a non-watered turf by the synthetic turf industry will make infrastructural investments for hockey more attractive to the likes of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) or hosts of international tournaments that usually require multiple high-end surfaces for only a limited period. It will also lower or remove barriers to allow the sport to develop in countries where the watering of hockey turf is impossible or perceived as morally unacceptable.