Placer County, California, has issued a health advisory for the Carnelian Bay area of Lake Tahoe after a significant sewage spill reached the lake on Thursday evening. The advisory warns visitors and residents of potentially high bacteria levels in the water, which could cause illness upon contact.
The affected area extends from Carnelian West Beach northeast to Manzanita Avenue and southwest to 4600 North Lake Boulevard. The California Tahoe Conservancy has closed Patton Beach and Carnelian West Beach until further notice as the North Tahoe Public Utility District (NTPUD) continues cleanup efforts.
The incident occurred around 8 p.m. on July 18 when a private contractor struck the NTPUD’s main sewer export pipeline. Approximately 125,000 gallons of untreated sewage overflowed into a nearby parking lot, with 85,000 gallons reaching Lake Tahoe. Emergency response crews collected 40,000 gallons at the site and returned it to the export system immediately.
NTPUD crews were on the scene promptly, repairing the pipeline and disinfecting and remediating the impacted area by Friday afternoon. However, officials maintain the advisory while they conduct ongoing water quality tests. They expect initial results within the next 24 hours.
Placer County environmental health specialists posted advisory notices along lakeshore access areas and notified lakeshore property owners. While the public drinking water system is not at risk, those with private water intakes from the lake should be cautious of elevated bacteria levels and contact Placer County Environmental Health with any concerns.
Authorities will continue updating the advisory and closure areas as they evaluate test results.
Always call before you dig and a contractor should know that.
How can we keep Tahoe blue with stupid stunts like this one?