Laurel Morales/KJZZ

The Grand Canyon.

The National Park Service on Wednesday gave the green light to replace a critical transcanyon pipeline at the Grand Canyon.

The project will replace three miles of a waterline that has broken several times in recent years. It's estimated to cost between $80 million and $110 million. Also under the approved plan, Grand Canyon National Park will relocate the water intake and build treatment facilities and tanks to support the pipeline.

About 20,000 people daily rely on that water for drinking, cooking and firefighting.

The park service's acting regional director signed the environmental assessment to go ahead with the project.

The pipeline was built in the 1960s. The new waterline is intended to support the park for 50 years.