Grand Canyon, one of the busiest national parks in the country, has a surprisingly complex—and precarious—method of supplying water to its most popular spots. Millions of visitors (plus 2,500 year-round residents, most of them park workers) at the Grand Canyon’s South Rim rely on water sourced from the North Rim via a 12.5-mile aluminum pipeline built in the 1960s.
Now decades beyond its planned end of life, the pipeline needs major upgrades. In 2019, a plan was approved to replace portions at an estimated cost of around $120 million. The project, which starts construction in early 2023, will likely take around three years to complete — and will impact tourism by closing numerous popular campgrounds and trails...