TAHOE CITY, Calif. — The Tahoe City Public Utility District (TCPUD) announced the completion and grand opening of the new West Lake Tahoe Regional Water Treatment Plant. This project represents a transformative investment in TCPUD’s water system to provide a permanent, drought-resilient source for drinking water and fire protection for the West Shore of Lake Tahoe.

The road to this milestone began almost two decades ago when TCPUD began searching for a permanent solution to a temporary water treatment plant used to meet peak summer water demand.

Located near Chambers Landing, just north of Tahoma, the new state-of-the-art facility replaces the temporary seasonal plant and will now provide a year-round water supply sourced directly from Lake Tahoe. The project strengthens the public water supply, enhances fire protection capabilities, and improves the resilience of TCPUD’s interconnected water infrastructure.

“This project transforms the way TCPUD delivers water to our customers on the West Shore,” said TCPUD Board President Judy Friedman. “By transitioning to drought-resilient surface water, we are ensuring safe, dependable drinking water year-round and significantly improving water availability for firefighting to help protect our community against wildfire.”

The project included construction of an underwater pump station and intake pipeline in Lake Tahoe to supply surface water to the treatment plant. The treatment plant uses advanced technology including membrane filtration and ultraviolet disinfection to ensure exceptional water quality. 

Currently, the treatment plant can deliver almost one million gallons of water per day to West Shore customers. Designed for regional water supply, the treatment plant may be expanded to meet the needs of up to 2,400 West Shore customers from Tahoma to Timberland. 

The new water treatment plant is one of the largest capital investments in TCPUD’s history. Funding for the approximately $30 million project was made possible through more than $5.5 million in grant funding from the California Department of Water Resources, the El Dorado Water Agency, and the Placer County Water Agency, and a $19.7 million loan from the California State Water Resources Control Board.  

“The Department of Water Resources is proud to have supported the West Lake Tahoe Regional Water Treatment Plant,” said Ann Marie, Grant Manager with Department of Water Resources. “This project is a powerful example of how strategic partnerships can build lasting resilience, protect public health, and deliver critical infrastructure to support a sustainably managed water supply.”

TCPUD Board of Directors and staff, along with project partners will gather on September 10th to mark the official grand opening with a celebratory “first sip” of water from the new treatment plant. Later this fall, TCPUD will host guided public tours of the water treatment plant, with details coming soon. 

Learn more about the project at http://www.tcpud.org/watertreatmentplant.