Public comment sought on Grand Canyon water pipeline project

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. – The National Park Service is seeking public comment on the Transcanyon Water Distribution Pipeline environmental assessment until Nov. 10.

The purpose of the pipeline project is to provide a reliable water delivery system at the South Rim and in the Cross Canyon Corridor in Grand Canyon National Park for about 50 years.

The current pipeline opened in 1965 and was designed to last for 40 years, but there have been more than 80 breaks since 2010.

Water transported by the pipeline supports more than 6 million annual visitors and about 2,500 year-round residents.

The park wants to relocate the water intake for the pipeline from Roaring Springs to an area near Bright Angel Creek at Phantom Ranch, replace about 3 miles of the pipeline and construct treatment facilities and tanks.