DEATH VALLEY — Death Valley National Park rangers and community partners will mark the start of a $69.5 million water and wastewater overhaul with a ceremonial groundbreaking at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The free event is open to the public.
The groundbreaking celebrates the start of the Furnace Creek Water Systems Rehabilitation Project. It will include refreshments and remarks from park leadership. Once completed, the park says, the modernized systems will improve reliability, reduce emergency repairs and serve the Death Valley community well into the future.
The National Park Service announced the three-year project on July 29. It is funded through the Great American Outdoors Act’s Legacy Restoration Fund and will serve park visitors, employees, hotels, campgrounds and the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe.
Many parts of the existing systems date to the 1960s and have outlived their intended service life, the park service said. Water temperatures that often exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit and recurring flash floods have sped the deterioration of pipelines, valves and other equipment. That has increased maintenance demands and the risk of service disruptions.
“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,” Superintendent Mike Reynolds said in the release. “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.”
The project covers the Cow Creek and Furnace Creek water systems and their shared wastewater treatment facility. Planned work includes:
• Replacing about 15 miles of water pipeline and 16 miles of sewer pipeline
• Upgrading water storage tanks and drilling new wells
• Replacing the reverse osmosis treatment plant building at Cow Creek and rehabilitating the reverse osmosis plant at Furnace Creek
• Modernizing sewage lift stations and upgrading wastewater treatment ponds
The park service said water system failures have required repairs about once a week in recent years, causing periodic outages and boil water advisories. Aging wastewater infrastructure has also caused sewage spills and temporary campground closures.
Construction will be phased to limit disruptions to visitors and park operations. Short, localized water outages may occur, but the park service said visitors and residents can expect continued access to safe drinking water and reliable sanitation throughout the project. Temporary impacts will include reduced parking in some areas used for construction staging.
Service changes and closures will be announced on the park website at nps.gov/deva.
Source: News release dated July 29, 2026, and NPS online event notice