Death Valley announces $69.5 million water infrastructure project
Death Valley National Park announced last week that it will start a $69.5 million infrastructure project this fall to modernize a wastewater system and two critical water systems.
According to the park service, essential infrastructure that provides safe drinking water and dependable wastewater treatment for visitors, employees, campgrounds, hotels and the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe will be improved by the three-year project. The project is funded through President Donald Trump’s Great American Outdoors Act’s Legacy Restoration Fund.
“Reliable drinking water and wastewater systems are fundamental to every visitor’s experience and to the people who live and work in Death Valley, the hottest and driest national park in the country,” said Death Valley Superintendent Mike Reynolds in a statement. “This Great American Outdoors Act investment will strengthen these essential systems and ensure reliable water and wastewater services for visitors, employees and the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe for decades to come.”
Park officials say that many parts of the current utility systems date back to the 1960s, therefore exceeding its intended service life.
Increased maintenance demands and risk of service disruptions have been created because valves, pipelines and other infrastructure experienced accelerated deterioration due to frequent 100 degrees Fahrenheit plus water temperatures and repeated flash floods, according to the park service.
Cow Creek and Furnace Creek’s water systems and their shared wastewater treatment facility will be rehabilitated through the project, explains the park service announcement.
Project plans include the water storage tanks upgrades, replacing approximately 15 miles of water pipeline, new wells being drilled, replacement of the reverse osmosis treatment plant building at Cow Creek, rehabilitation of Furnace Creek’s reverse osmosis treatment plant, replacement of 16 miles of sewer pipeline, sewage lift station modernization and wastewater treatment ponds upgrades, the park service details.
Enduring infrastructure challenges that have affected the Death Valley’s operations will also be addressed by the investment according to the park service.
About one time every week in recent years, failures of water systems have required repairs, which result in periodic boil water advisories and periodic water outages, park officials explained.
Temporary campground closures and sewage spills have also occurred because of aging wastewater infrastructure, the park service explains.
The rehabilitated systems will lessen emergency repairs, better operational reliability and create resilient utility infrastructure fit to serve the park in the future, according to the announcement.
Construction is set to begin in the fall of this year. Park officials say it will be done in phases to minimize disruptions for park operations and visitors, adding that short localized water outages may occur, but during the project, residents and visitors can expect ongoing access to safe drinking water and reliable sanitation.
The park service notes that some areas will have reduced parking for construction staging.
Any closures or service changes will be announced at the park’s website at nps.gov/deva.
Contact reporter Elijah Dulay at edulay@pvtimes.com
