Lakeside Park Association wins Best Tasting Water in California award

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lakeside Park Association has been recognized with the Best Tasting Water in California award. They received the honor at the annual California Rural Water Association’s Water Expo.

The Lakeside Park Association is a small area of South Lake Tahoe, located just behind the casinos along US50. This historic area is bordered by Park Avenue and Stateline Boulevard from the highway down to Lake Tahoe. This area was subdivided in 1909 into home-size lots used as campgrounds and kept the name Lakeside Park as the first subdivision in El Dorado County.

Twenty-nine years later, in 1938 the owners of the campground lots would become incorporated to form a mutual water company which would provide drinking water and recreational facilities for the property owners, their guests, and other people visiting the lake. The corporation called Lakeside Park Association (LPA) was established on June 25, 1938.

Development of Lakeside Park Water System first started in 1938 to serve the service area of about nine miles. The system's original source came from a spring that was developed in 1908. The spring was located on the east side of US50, approximately one mile from the LPA service area. Water storage capacity was provided by four 7,000-gallon redwood tanks located near the spring, and water flowed downstream to the Lakeside Park service area.

As the area developed it became apparent that the spring water supply was inadequate, and two wells were constructed on Pine Blvd. The wells could produce water flows up to 650 gpm. These wells were the new primary source of water and the spring was a backup supply. In 1959 Lakeside started increasing water distribution line sizes to six inches (compared to 2 inches) or larger, and also installed fire hydrants.

In the 1960’s Lakeside Park Association granted water rights to Lake Tahoe. An intake line was constructed and untreated Lake Tahoe water was provided to its users in the Lakeside service area. By the time the 1980’s rolled around the first two wells and the redwood storage tanks were abandoned, and a third well was built which is still in service today.

The Safe Drinking Water Act was amended in 1986 which required all surface water to be treated prior to the consumer receiving it. By the 1990’s the law came into effect in Lake Tahoe. With a loan from the State, Lakeside was able to design and construct facilities compliant with this law. By 1997 a water treatment plant and storage tank were built and are still in use today.

While LPA’s historical foundations are deeply intertwined with the history of South Lake Tahoe, this small water company is also the proud recipient of the Best Tasting Water in California!

Every year in April the California Rural Water Association’s Water Expo is held at Harvey’s where a formal taste testing panel compares water samples submitted from all over California. A panel of judges sample the entries for clarity, bouquet, and taste. It turns out that the panelists all agreed that Lakeside Park Association’s water was the very best!

Water Systems Manager, Nakia Foskett shared, “The journey continues as we look forward to our invitation to enter the National Great American Water Taste Test in Washington DC February 2025! We are beyond thrilled!”