State to shut off outdoor showers at CdM, H.B. state beaches

Thousands of beachgoers will soon feel the drought’s impact in the dry shower heads of dozens of state beaches.

State park officials ordered the outdoor showers at 38 state beaches, including those in Corona del Mar, Huntington Beach, Dana Point and San Clemente, shut off as of July 15 to conserve water during the drought.

The move is designed to save up to 18 million gallons annually. It will also remove an amenity central to one of summertime’s pleasures — washing away the salt and sand under an outdoor shower, the Pacific Ocean just a few yards away.

Todd Lewis, acting superintendent for California State Parks’ Orange Coast district, urged beachgoers to investigate what he described as “several very clever alternatives to our outdoor rinse stations.”

“They can bring along a gallon jug filled with warm tap water from home, for instance” he said. “A fine-bristled broom is also a terrific way to remove sand from your body.”

The change may not be popular, but every drop counts, said Brian Ketterer, a spokesman for the state parks.

The new restrictions will apply only to outdoor showers, not to indoor campground showers, he said.

On Thursday, beachgoers expressed mixed feelings about news that they would soon lose access to outdoor showers.

So far, the department’s 278 total parks have managed to meet the state’s 25% water reduction mandate.

Parvini and Sahagun write for the Los Angeles Times.