Beach Restrooms at El Porto and 26th Street Change Back to 7 a.m. Opening

Despite recent funding cutbacks, the beach restrooms at El Porto and 26th Street are once again opening by 7 a.m. as of last Saturday.

According to a statement by Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, it wasn't dirty restrooms that were frustrating beach patrons—it was the new restroom operating hours.

"A review of the Department of Beaches and Harbors' complaint log shows that no calls had come in regarding restroom cleanliness at our beaches," Knabe said, adding that the department plans to hire enough staff over the next month so it can open as many restrooms as possible in the early morning.

The department will present a plan of action at next week's Board of Supervisors meeting, Knabe said.

Besides the El Porto and 26th Street restrooms in Manhattan Beach, the department will change the operating hours for five other restrooms:

• Will Rogers at Temescal, Los Angeles
• Zuma No. 6, Malibu
• Point Dume, Malibu
• Knob Hill, Redondo Beach
• White Point, San Pedro

Prior to Knabe's statement, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said the restrooms at county beaches pose a "major health issue." He said he had received "a large number of complaints" about dirty restrooms.

The new operating hours and cleaning schedule for restrooms, which were established in April, on May 1.