Effective immediately, Grand Canyon National Park is implementing mandatory water conservation measures for the South Rim. These restrictions are necessary due to a failure in the Trans Canyon Waterline, which broke during efforts to repressurize it following repairs. The break has extended the current water outage.
All park residents and visitors are required to conserve and reduce water usage in homes, hotel rooms, and campgrounds. The mandatory measures include:
– No watering lawns or plants
– No washing cars, boats, bikes, or any outside vehicle
– Utilize dry pre-cleaning methods to scrape off food items before thoroughly washing dishes
– Fill the sink with water while washing dishes to avoid running water
– Take shorter or less frequent showers
– Turn off water while shaving or brushing teeth
– Use low-water cleaning techniques and reduce toilet flushing to the minimum necessary
– Report drips, leaks, or other water loss to appropriate offices
– Remove outside hoses from spigots when not in use
Hikers in the backcountry should plan to carry all their water or have methods to treat water. For the most updated information on water availability in the backcountry, visit the park’s Critical Backcountry Updates page.
Concession operations within the park must also comply with conservation measures:
– Alter menus to use less water for food preparation and dishwashing
– Adopt low-water-use practices for hotel room cleaning
– Serve drinking water at restaurants by request only
Despite the water restrictions, park staff continue to encourage frequent hand washing for at least 20 seconds using soap and water to prevent the spread of disease.
