This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Southern Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park sewer system is failing.
Acting park Superintendent Kathleen Gonder says an environmental assessment has cleared the way for major sewer improvements.
The Park Service wants to replace clay pipes that were installed 52 years ago for the park's lodge, staff housing and visitors' center.
Gonder says those pipes are crumbling and clogged, backing up sewage that leaks out of manholes and spills onto the ground.
Gonder says the park can cut trenches through prairie dog colonies for new sewer lines without harming the federally protected animals.
The Park Service is taking public comment on its plan until Nov. 26.
