Hotels on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, including El Tovar, will close Thursday due to water shortages at the rim/NPS file

A water shortage on the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park will lead to the closure of hotels, the National Park Service announced Wednesday afternoon.

Four breaks in the Transcanyon Water Pipeline, which brings water from the North Rim to the South Rim, are forcing the park to implement Level 4 water restrictions starting Thursday afternoon. The breaks in the 12.5-mile pipeline have made it impossible to pump water to the South Rim or North Rim, a park news release said.

For this reason, the Park Service will implement the following measures in the foreseeable future:

• Accommodation for guests: Starting Thursday, August 29, overnight accommodations will be suspended at all park concessions. This includes Xanterra-operated hotel properties such as El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge and Phantom Ranch, as well as Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village in Delaware North. Overnight accommodations at off-site hotels in the city of Tusayan are not affected by the changes in park operations.
• Dry camping: Only dry camping is permitted. Water faucets will be turned off at South Rim campgrounds, but bathroom faucets will remain operational. Water faucet access will be available at the Mather Campground check-in kiosk.
• Fires are not allowed on the South Rim or in the inner canyon area. Fire restrictions prohibit the burning of wood and charcoal, including campfires, warming fires, and charcoal grills. For more information on fire restrictions, visit the park website. Information website about fire.

• Operational Services: The park will remain open during the day. All South Rim dining establishments, the Grand Canyon Clinic, and the post office will remain open. The Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim and other North Rim visitor facilities such as the campground will remain open.

Park officials say water conservation measures remain in place along both edges of the park.We ask residents and visitors to help conserve water by limiting showers to five minutes or less, turning off faucets when shaving or brushing teeth, flushing toilets selectively, washing laundry with full loads, and reporting leaks to the appropriate authorities,” the park said in a press release.

Hikers in remote areas must carry as much water as necessary or have means to purify water along the way.

Learn about the need to rebuild the pipeline and the Park Service’s approach.

Originally built in the 1960s, the Transcanyon Waterline supplies drinking water to facilities on the South Rim and in the inner canyon. The waterline has exceeded its expected lifespan and is experiencing frequent failures that require expensive and ongoing maintenance to repair leaks. Since 2010, there have been over 85 major breaks, each of which has disrupted water supplies. The National Park Service recently began construction on a multi-year, $208 million rehabilitation of the waterline. Transcanyon Waterline and improvements to the associated water supply system. This important investment in infrastructure will ensure that the park can meet the water needs of six million visitors per year and approximately 2,500 residents.

The project is expected to be completed in 2027. Great American Outdoor Space Act (GAOA) is providing more than $40 million to replace the South Rim Wastewater Treatment Plant, which serves visitors, staff, housing, and support facilities. GAOA is part of a concerted effort by the National Park Service to address extensive deferred maintenance and repair needs at national parks.