Marines and Sailors aboard Camp Pendleton are no longer authorized to hold unit car washes, effective May 4.

Brig. Gen. Edward D. Banta, Commanding General, Marine Corps Installations West, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, issued a bulletin to all commands, units and organizations on the base outlining the new guidelines for washing non-tactical vehicles. The bulletin does not change the standard procedures for washing tactical vehicles.

The bulletin states, “Given the current drought conditions in California, our responsibility as good stewards of our natural resources demand this action.”

Washing non-tactical vehicles will now be limited to once every two weeks using a closed loop system, unless more frequent washing is mission essential or there is a sanitation or safety concern.

All hoses used to wash vehicles must now be equipped with a positive shut-off nozzle that prevents water from running when the hose is not in use. The bulletin stipulates that every effort should be taken to ensure that the hose is turned off, with no water running, when not actively rinsing or washing the vehicle.

This bulletin is a part of an installations-wide effort to conserve potable water.