By SEJAL GOVINDARAO
Hotels are reopening on the Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim on Wednesday after the park halted overnight accommodations for over a week due to water-line breaks, the park said Monday.
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The park will resume overnight stays at El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge, Delaware North’s Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village. Some campground water hoses will remain off, and fire restrictions at the South Rim will continue.
The park first took steps to conserve water earlier this month by pausing overnight stays after the breaks. A vast majority of the Grand Canyon’s visitors spend their time at the South Rim, and more than 41,000 people used overnight lodging in the park last December, though the winter season is sleepier.
It’s the second time the park has taken such action though the pipeline has experienced frequent failures over the years. Last August, park officials took unprecedented action and imposed water restrictions that forced the sudden shutdown of overnight hotel stays during one of the busiest times of the year.
FILE – Guests exit Bright Angel Lodge on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Grand Canyon, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)
Maintenance of the 12.5 mile-long Transcanyon Waterline, the primary water source for residents, staff and tourists, has long been a priority for the park. A $208 million rehabilitation of the pipeline and upgrades to the associated water delivery system began in 2023 is expected to wrap up in 2027.
Park officials are encouraging visitors and residents to still take conservation measures such as shortening showers, washing full loads of laundry and turning off the faucet when brushing teeth. Hikers should bring or treat water water if needed, said the park.
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