El Paso area water park among few open attractions, but not reaching 25% capacity

ANTHONY, Texas -- Despite being one of the few places open this summer for people amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the general manager of Wet 'N' Wild Waterworld in Anthony said since they were allowed to reopen, the park hasn't reached 25 percent capacity.

The state of Texas allowed water parks to open up to 50 percent capacity, but general manager Chandra Edwards-Cottingham said she will likely keep the 60-acre park open at just 25 percent, adding that even during the Fourth of July the park was still a bit empty.

"We had like 1,400 people at the park," Edwards-Cottingham said. "It was very very minimal compared to a normal Fourth of July where we would have 5,000 or 6,000 or even 8,000 people in the park.” 

Edwards-Cottingham said the park is doing everything they can to keep people safe, but it has been a challenge as the main push for staff at the park has been social distancing.

Visitors are asked to social distance when around people who apart of the group they came with. ABC-7 crews saw most groups social distanced while sitting in the picnic areas, but some were gathered in clusters while in certain pools in the park.

Visitors must wear masks when they are walking around the park or are not on a ride. Wet 'N' Wild even provides each visitor a water resistant mask upon arrival.

Guests are asked to make reservations online. Once at the park, an employee escorts visitors to a picnic area to make sure each group is six feet away from another group. Tables are covered with a plastic table cloth

When asked how the water tubes used by visitors are cleaned, Edwards-Cottingham said the chlorine in the water acts as a disinfectant.

For more information on Wet 'N' Wild, click here.