BYOW

Suggested sign at the city gates: Bring Your Own Water (BYOW) … After being cooped up during the pandemic, many city dwellers are itching to hit places like Ocean Shores for “summer beach fun.” While Locals typically grin and bear the invaders (“Hey, what’s a good place to eat? And what’s there to do around here? And do you just love living here?“), hotels, restaurants and shops were getting primed to make up some of that lost-year …. Until this Longview chlorine plant went off line last week, triggering potential water shortages on the beach. But will your average Terry the Tourist care — or is he/she planning to drink something a lot stronger for party-at-the-beach?

To paraphrase a classic movie: “Water? We don’t need no stinkin’ water!”