Emery Cowan
Grand Canyon National Park is mandating water conservation measures after a break in its Transcanyon Pipeline earlier this week affected water supply to the South Rim.
One of the Indian Garden pipeline water pumps that provides water to the South Rim storage tanks is also broken.
The pipeline is undergoing repairs but in the meantime mandatory water restrictions require the use of plastic utensils by concessionaires, serving drinking water by request only and modified menus to use less water, among other things.
All visitors and residents must implement other water conservation measures immediately in homes, hotel rooms and at the campgrounds.
The Transcanyon Pipeline break also means there is no water available at Cottonwood Campground, Manzanita Rest Area, Bright Angel Campground or Boat Beach. Day hikers and backpackers should be prepared to carry all drinking water or be able to filter or treat creek water for drinking purposes.
The North Rim is unaffected by these issues. Phantom Ranch currently has water but is operating under water conservation measures.
The 16-mile pipeline was built in the mid-1960s and supplies drinking water from Roaring Springs to the North and South Rim and Desert View, as well as corridor trails, North Kaibab Trail, Bright Angel Trail and Phantom Ranch.