Lathrop State Park has opened its campground shower facilities to Walsenburg residents as the city continues recovering from a water main break, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Community members may use the showers at no cost through a county telephone reservation system while city and Huerfano County officials work to repair damage from the break, which prompted a disaster declaration affecting local residents.

Both shower facilities at the park’s Pinon Campground are available to the public. Each facility includes two showers normally used by year-round campers.

County staff are taking reservations for 30-minute time slots from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. March 16. Residents can schedule a time by calling 719-738-3000, extension 512.

“These are our friends and neighbors, and this is a small way we can help the community recover,” said Daryl Seder, park manager at Lathrop State Park. “Park staff have been volunteering and distributing water bottles at the county community center since Saturday; discussion about hot showers came up pretty quickly.”

Officials said reservations will be scheduled to allow for routine facility cleaning to ensure public safety.