Grand Canyon Just Implemented Water Conservation Measures — What Visitors Need to Know

The National Park Service has imposed mandatory water conservation measures at the Grand Canyon following a failure of the Trans Canyon Waterline.

Going forward, all park visitors will be required to reduce water usage in homes, hotel rooms, and campgrounds along the South Rim, according to the NPS. That includes not washing any cars, boats, bikes, or other vehicles, using dry pre-cleaning methods like scraping off food before washing dishes, taking shorter or less frequent showers, turning the water off while shaving or brushing your teeth, and more.

Travelers should also report any drips, leaks, or other water loss and remove outside hoses from spigots when not in use. And restaurants will be required to only serve drinking water when it is requested.

“Although the park has entered 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,” the NPS wrote in a statement. 

The new measures are being implemented following a failure of the Trans Canyon Waterline after it was shut off for repairs. The park has been working on construction on a new water line, which will replace a more than 12-mile-long water pipeline first constructed in the 1960s and responsible for providing both potable water and fire suppression. As part of the construction, the NPS has closed several trails and campgrounds.

“Crews were trying to repressurize the line when there was a break, causing an extension of the current water outage,” the NPS added in the statement.

This isn’t the first time the park has implemented such restrictions. Last year, the NPS implemented similar water conservation measures due to diminished water supplies.

The Grand Canyon’s South Rim is open year-round and receives far more visitors than the less accessible North Rim. Currently, it is considered high season in the park.