News Release
NPS Photo/M. Quinn
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Contact: Grand Canyon Office of Communications
Grand Canyon National Park will implement additional water restrictions on the South Rim starting Saturday, December 6, due to a series of significant breaks in the 12½ mile-long Transcanyon Waterline that supplies water from the canyon for use in the park. Since mid-November, the park has faced challenges with water supply, and currently, no water is being pumped to the South Rim.
While the park remains open to visitors, the following measures will be enacted for the foreseeable future:
- Overnight Guest Lodging: Effective Saturday, December 6, all park concessions will halt overnight accommodations. This includes hotel facilities operated by Xanterra, such as El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, and Maswik Lodge, as well as Delaware North’s Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village. Overnight hotel accommodations located outside the park in the town of Tusayan will not be impacted by changes in park operations.
- Dry Camping: Only dry camping will be permitted. Spigot access at Mather Campground on the South Rim will be turned off, though faucets in bathrooms will remain operational. Water spigot access will be available nearby at the Camper Services Dump Station.
- No fires will be allowed on the South Rim and inner canyon areas. Fire restrictions prohibit all outdoor wood burning and charcoal fires, including campfires, warming fires, and charcoal barbeques.
- Operational Services: The park will remain open for day use. All South Rim food and beverage services, the Grand Canyon Clinic, and the Post Office will remain open.
These measures are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources. The goal is to restore full operational status for overnight guests on the South Rim as quickly as possible.
Existing conservation measures remain in place for the South Rim. Residents are being asked to help conserve water by limiting showers to five minutes or less, turning off faucets while shaving or brushing teeth, flushing toilets selectively, washing laundry with full loads, and reporting leaks to the appropriate offices.
Hikers in the backcountry must carry all necessary water or methods to treat water. For the most updated information on water availability in the backcountry, visit the park’s Critical Backcountry Updates webpage.
Originally built in the 1960s, the Transcanyon Waterline provides potable water for facilities on the South Rim and inner canyon. The waterline has exceeded its expected lifespan and experiences frequent failures, which require expensive and continuous maintenance work to repair leaks. The National Park Service started construction in 2023 on a multi-year, $208 million rehabilitation of the Transcanyon Waterline and upgrades to the associated water delivery system. This crucial investment in infrastructure will ensure the park is able to meet water supply needs for five million annual visitors and approximately 2,500 year-round residents. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.
For ongoing updates, visit the Grand Canyon National Park Operations Update webpage.
-NPS-