Officials at Grand Canyon National Park will reopen hotels on the South on Wed, Dec. 17.
They closed all overnight lodging earlier this month after a major break in the Transcanyon Waterline that supplies the park.
Crews fixed the damaged pipe last week and have not found any new breaks.
Storage tanks on the South Rim have been refilling over the last several days and officials will keep water restrictions in place until they reach full capacity.
The park suspended overnight hotel accommodations on Dec. 6, impacting El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge and Maswik Lodge along with the Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village. Reservations are again open.
Fire restrictions will remain in effect on the South Rim and within the inner canyon. It bans woodburning, charcoal fires and campfires to support water conservation efforts. In addition, camping will be allowed at Mather and Desert View campgrounds, but water spigots will be turned off.
The Transcanyon Waterline was originally built in the 1960s. It suffers frequent failures and officials say it has exceeded its expected lifespan. Since late October, the 12.5-mile system that pumps water through the canyon and up the South Rim has suffered three significant breaks.
The National Park Service is two years into a $208 million effort to replace and upgrade the waterline that serves millions of visitors per year and 2,500 year-round residents. The project is expected to be finished in 2027.
