Hotels within Grand Canyon National Park will reopen for overnight accommodations Thursday, park officials say.
Last week, the park temporarily halted overnight lodging accommodations and entered Stage 4 water restrictions after four significant breaks in the park’s Transcanyon Waterline.
That impacted hotels like the El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge and Phantom Ranch ahead of the Labor Day weekend. It also resulted in limited water at campgrounds on the South Rim, although campers could continue staying overnight.
Since the breaks, park officials say crews have completed several repairs on the pipeline that brings water from the North Rim to the Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim. They've since restarted pumping water through the line.
Even as the waterline becomes operational, Stage 3 water restrictions remain in effect until storage tanks are sufficiently filled. Park officials encourage residents and visitors to continue to conserve water.
They urge visitors to limit showers to five minutes or less, turn off faucets while shaving or brushing teeth, and flush toilets selectively.
It is not uncommon for the Transcanyon Waterline to break down, which forces park officials to implement water restrictions. Since 2010, park officials say there have been over 85 major breaks that have each disrupted water delivery. However, the closure of hotels is unprecedented for the park.
A $208 million waterline replacement project is under construction and scheduled to be completed by 2027.