Health advisory remains for some North Lake Tahoe beaches after 125,000 gallon sewage spill
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Wed, 07/24/2024 - 9:51am
Carnelian Bay West Beach and Patton Landing Beach will both remain closed after a sewer line break near Carnelian Bay dumped untreated sewage into Lake Tahoe last week.
On Thursday, July 18, a private contractor struck the North Tahoe Public Utility District’s main sewer export pipeline, resulting in 125,000 gallons of untreated sewage being discharged, 85,000 of those gallons ending up in the lake.
Due to elevated levels of bacteria present in the water quality test taken over the weekend, the Carnelian Bay West Beach and Patton Landing Beach will remain closed to the public until further notice.
Go here for updates from NTPUD as to when the beaches will reopen.
A health advisory remains in effect for the Lake Tahoe shoreline from 5500 North Lake Boulevard (Sahara Drive and Highway 28), and Southwest to 4600 North Lake Boulevard. (see the above map for reference).
Residents and visitors are advised that contact with the lake water in the advisory area could cause illness due to elevated bacteria levels.
Lake Tahoe Water Quality Analysis
Water quality samples are being taken daily from the Lake Tahoe shoreline at and near the spill site. The laboratory analysis requires 24-hours to process, and health officials are evaluating the results as they come in. The health advisory will remain in effect until bacteria levels in the water return to a normal level.
Public Drinking Water Not at Risk
The NTPUD’s public drinking water system is not at risk and tap water is safe to drink.
Private lakefront properties in the advisory area with their own lake intakes should be aware of these elevated bacteria levels and should contact Placer County Environmental Health with concerns about their drinking water.
Ongoing Site Restoration
In collaboration with the California Tahoe Conservancy and Placer County Government, the NTPUD is continuing restoration at the spill site, including disinfection and cleanup of the impacted landscaping and beach area.
Additional Updates
Placer County and the NTPUD will continue to provide updates on the ongoing health advisory and closure areas as ongoing water quality test results are evaluated.
