New state-funded facility to provide drinking water treatment for West Lake Tahoe
Project received over $25 million for plant that benefits 1,900 residents
TAHOE CITY – The State Water Resources Control Board yesterday joined the Tahoe City Public Utilities District (TCPUD), Department of Water Resources, El Dorado Water Agency and the Placer County Water Agency to mark the grand opening of the West Lake Tahoe Regional Water Treatment Plant. The facility replaces an aging seasonal plant in Chambers Landing and provides a permanent, drought-resilient source for drinking water and fire protection for communities along the west shore of Lake Tahoe.
Filtration equipment at the new drinking water treatment plant
The new water-treatment plant on the west shore of Lake Tahoe replaces a temporary, seasonal plant to provide permanent, year-round drinking water supplies for up to 1,900 residents served by four distinct district water systems (McKinney-Quail, Madden Creek, and Tahoe Cedars). Treating one million gallons of surface water from the lake per day, the facility is a reliable, drought resistant source for safe drinking water and firefighting.
"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 Board. "This project ensures reliable access to safe drinking water while improving efficient use and wildfire protection for the community. It is an example of the multi-benefit water and wastewater infrastructure projects advancing across California with the board’s regulatory, technical assistance and funding support.”
The State Water Board supported the $30M project through a $19.6 million low-interest loan – 1.2% for 20 years – from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, a federal/state program designed to assist public water systems finance the cost of drinking water infrastructure projects needed to achieve or maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. The project also received a $5.5 million grant from the Department of Water Resources. Grants and low interest rates help water systems constrain project costs and avoid substantial water rate increases to pay for needed repairs and upgrades. With the help of state financing, TCPUD was able to stay within its 5-year capital plan and not seek additional revenue from customers.
"The Department of Water Resources is proud to have supported the West Lake Tahoe Regional Water Treatment Plant,” said Ann Marie Ore, program manager with Department of Water Resources. "This project is a powerful example of how strategic partnerships can build lasting resilience, protect public health and create critical infrastructure to support a sustainably managed water supply.”
The facility houses two parallel membrane filtration plants and an ultraviolet disinfection system; it also has modern features that enable quieter operations and reduced lighting at night. With the new facility, TCPUD has capacity to expand service to future customers as part of a regional water system consolidation.
"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.”
This past fiscal year (July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025) the State Water Board provided a total of $2 billion in financial assistance for 390 projects that will benefit nearly half the state’s population, or 18 million Californians, when complete. About $837 million of this funding was for new projects that will secure safe drinking water through upgrades to aging infrastructure, consolidations of failing water systems with more functional ones, and other solutions
More information about the board’s financial assistance programs can be found on its website.
Sean Barclay, General Manager of Tahoe City Public Utility District addresses attendees (Board Member Nichole Morgan, second from right)
The State Water Board’s mission is to preserve, enhance and restore the quality of California’s water resources and drinking water for the protection of the environment, public health, and all beneficial uses, and to ensure proper resource allocation and efficient use for the benefit of present and future generations.
