Grand Canyon floods slice into water lifeline, rattling local economy

A flood washed out a 12.5-mile cross-canyon water pipeline at Grand Canyon, threatening drinking water for residents and the millions who visit, just as a more-than-$200-million repair project was already underway after years of pipe failures. Officials expect water to come from tanks and conserved supplies for weeks, with restrictions and conservation measures in place as the park economy—heavily reliant on tourism—grapples with reduced water and outages that affect lodging, food service, and visitor experience across Phantom Ranch, the South Rim, and nearby towns like Tusayan.