TAHOE CITY, Calif. -  On Wednesday, September 10, more than 80 local and state agency partners and regional leaders gathered on the west shore of Lake Tahoe to celebrate the grand opening of Tahoe City Public Utility District’s new West Lake Tahoe Regional Water Treatment Plant.

The new facility marks a major step forward in delivering a safe, year-round, drought-resilient source of drinking water and improved fire suppression capacity for west shore communities.

The celebration included a look back at the years of planning and design, remarks from local and state leaders, guided tours, and a celebratory "first sip" of water from the new treatment plant. The tours provided an up-close look at the innovative infrastructure that can supply high-quality Tahoe tap water to west shore customers.

Guests had the opportunity to view the plant’s advanced membrane filtration and ultraviolet disinfection systems and learn how water travels from a lake intake pipe offshore through multiple layers of treatment before being delivered to customers.

“A project of this scale can only happen through strong partnerships, and TCPUD extends our deepest gratitude to the partners and funders who made this project possible,” said TCPUD Board President Judy Friedman. “This project represents our vision to invest in critical infrastructure to serve our customers and protect our region.”

The new treatment plant replaces a temporary, seasonal facility that was constructed in 2003 to meet the summer water needs of about 530 customers served by the McKinney/Quail water system. The project included construction of three submersible pumps and an intake pipeline in Lake Tahoe, a new pump station designed to move water and initiate treatment, and distribution lines to supply surface water to a state-of-the-art facility.

Currently, the treatment plant can deliver one million gallons of water per day to west shore customers. Designed for a 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.

Funding for the approximately $30 million project was made possible through a $19.7 million loan from the CA State Water Resources Control Board and $6.3 million in grant funding, including $5 million from CA Department of Water Resources, $775,000 from Placer County Water Agency, and $500,000 from El Dorado Water Agency.

“Strengthening California’s water infrastructure is crucial to withstanding extreme weather and preserving our state’s economic progress,” said Nichole Morgan, member of the State Water Resources Control Board. “This project ensures reliable access to safe drinking water while improving efficient use and wildfire protection for the community.”

TCPUD extends its gratitude to the community, staff, project partners, and funding agencies who made this critical infrastructure a reality.

TCPUD will be offering public tours of the facility soon. Community members can sign up for tour notices at tcpud.org/WaterTreatmentPlant.

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The Tahoe City Public Utility District provides water, sewer, parks, and recreation services within its service area. The District’s boundaries lie within Placer and El Dorado Counties, extending from Emerald Bay to Dollar Hill and along the Truckee River to the Nevada County line. For additional information, call Aaron Hussmann at 530.580.6291 or email ahussmann@tcpud.org.