South Lake Tahoe water companies to update public on 400-acre PCE plume

Since tetrachloroethylene, PCE, was found in drinking water wells near the "Y" in South Lake Tahoe, local water companies have been working together to ensure residents have safe drinking water. Those companies, South Tahoe Public Utility District, Lukins Brothers Water Company, and Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association, will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, August 8, to provide updates about the groundwater contaminant at the South Lake Tahoe Airport from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The meeting will cover recent findings regarding where PCE is present in the aquifer and how this information is being used to develop a clean-up strategy. This is a follow-up to the public meeting in February that covered the groundwater issue.

In South Lake Tahoe, the primary source of drinking water is groundwater and it meets drinking water standards and is safe to drink.

Five wells in South Lake Tahoe have been shut down since PCE was first found in 1989. PCE remains in groundwater and the plume is believed to cover more than 400 acres (see map above).

PCE is a manmade chemical that was used from the early 1960s through the mid-1980s as a solvent for dry cleaning clothes and degreasing metal. During the late 1980s, concerns about the toxicity of PCE led Federal and State environmental agencies to list PCE as a probable carcinogen and as a toxic pollutant. When PCE is detected in a well, the well is shut down and treatment is added to remove the contaminant, or an alternative source of drinking water supply is provided.

This summer, a multi-phase pre-design investigation took place to identify where PCE is present in the aquifer. A test hole was drilled to a depth of 150 feet to log sub-surface materials and collect soil and water samples. The data collected will be incorporated into a groundwater model and used for the engineering evaluation during the feasibility study. The purpose of the feasibility study is to identify the most cost-effective approach to removing PCE from groundwater within the South “Y” area.

Find out what local water agencies are doing to make sure you have access to clean water at the public meeting. For more information, to watch the February meeting, or to live stream the meeting, visit www.stpud.us/groundwater.