Source Water Protection

Used to supply public drinking water, Source Water is untreated water from streams, rivers, lakes, or underground aquifers.  The source of drinking water for many Tahoe Basin communities, including Incline Village and Crystal Bay, is Lake Tahoe. The water is pumped out the lake, managed in a water treatment facility, and delivered to customers.

Source Water Protection is protecting sources of drinking water from contaminates that are harmful to human health. The water in Lake Tahoe is of excellent quality, and treatment plants are designed to remove or inactivate microorganisms. However, emerging contaminates and increases in contaminate quantities often require new and expensive treatment upgrades and increase the threat of waterborne illness.

Everyone can help protect the quality of our drinking water through simple sanitary practices.

Things you can do:
• Do not dump portable toilets or holding tanks in or near the lake
• See a spill or boat sink, call you local Sheriff’s Department
• Always use the restroom facilities, never the lake,
• Locate restroom facilities before leaving the shore to swim or boat
• Keep diapers out of the water
• Do not swim or wade if you are sick or just recovering from illness
• Pick up after your dogs

Source Water Protection Makes Sense!

By protecting the source of our drinking water, we reduce the chance of illness and keep water supply treatment costs low. IVGID Public Works is a member of the Tahoe Water Suppliers Association (TWSA), a Lake Tahoe based partnership comprised of eight California and Nevada municipal water agencies which is dedicated to providing clean and safe drinking water.

On Friday, January 19, 2007 TWSA received “Wendell McCurry Excellence in Water Quality Award” from the Nevada Department of Conservation for providing significant strides related to the protection of drinking water source issues in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Please click here for the press release.

For more information on TWSA, please go to www.tahoeh2o.org

Additional Links
Environmental Protection Agency:  http://www.epa.gov/safewater/protect.html
Your Watershed EPA http://www.epa.gov/surf/