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Hope you don't mind getting sand in your car: all showers at state beaches will be turned off this summer.California Department of Parks and Recreation said in a press release that the rinse stations at every state park and beach will be shut off, starting July 15. The move is part of an effort, of course, to conserve water in the midst of the state's drought. With the 85 million visitors the system gets annually and the 1.2 gallons used per rinse, on average, the department says shutting off the showers will save 18 million gallons of water per year. "California is facing extremely severe drought conditions," said State Parks Director Lisa Mangat. "It is important for all Californians to conserve water at home, at work and even when recreating outdoors."
Being crusted in sand and salt after a fun day at the beach might be price we have to pay for having fun at the beach and being stuck together in this devastating drought, but there are still ways to clean yourself off without the rinse stations. "[Beachgoers] can bring along a gallon jug filled with warm tap water from home, for instance," Todd Lewis, acting superintendent for the department's Orange Coast district, told the L.A. Times. "A fine-bristled broom is also a terrific way to remove sand from your body." The Orange County Register says baby powder is also very effective at wiping sand away.
Although the new restriction will be effective system-wide, hot showers at campgrounds will still be running.
Another state entity shutting off showers to conserve water is the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, who confirmed on Thursday that the state prisons have shut down outdoor showers in all of their facilities. The move was mentioned in a lawsuit alleging inhuman conditions in California's death row.
