This webpage contains information for the Carnelian Bay Sewer Spill incident that occurred at approximately 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 18th when a private contractor working in Carnelian Bay struck the North Tahoe Public Utility District’s (NTPUD) main sewer export pipeline. The pipeline was repaired and there was no risk to the public drinking water system.
As of Wednesday, July 31, 2024, all health advisories have been lifted and all Carnelian Bay beaches have been reopened to the public.
Incident Updates and Information
Placer County lifts health advisory and opens public access to Carnelian West Beach
This is an update for Wednesday, July 31, 2024, for the beach closure and health advisory zone in Carnelian Bay.
Placer County Environmental Health, the California Tahoe Conservancy, and NTPUD are pleased to report that water quality tests taken over recent days at Carnelian West Beach show that bacteria levels have returned to a normal range and are within California beach water quality standards.
As of this message at 5:00 pm Wednesday, July 31, the shoreline health advisory zone and beach closure are lifted for Carnelian West Beach.
Residents and visitors may resume water contact and recreation activities at this location.
Repair of the landscaping and picnic area at Carnelian West Beach is estimated to continue through Tuesday, August 6. The public is advised to avoid construction areas.
This message, as of Wednesday, July 31, 2024, will be the final incident update from Placer County and the NTPUD.
Information about the incident is available online at – https://www.ntpud.org
Media Contacts
For public questions about the lifting of the health advisory, please contact:
Placer County Environmental Health
530-745-2300
For questions about the original incident, please contact:
North Tahoe Public Utility District
530-553-5434
Reduced health advisory and beach closure remain in place for Carnelian West Beach
This is an update for Tuesday, July 30, 2024, for the beach closure and health advisory zone in Carnelian Bay.A reduced shoreline health advisory zone and beach closure for the Carnelian West Beach area (5000 N. Lake Blvd to 5100 N. Lake Blvd) will remain in effect through at least Wednesday, July 31.Residents and visitors are advised that contact with the lake water at Carnelian West Beach could cause illness due to elevated bacteria levels.Officials will continue to evaluate water quality test results daily and the health advisory will be lifted or modified after at least two days of data showing that levels are consistently below California beaches water quality standards.Placer County and the NTPUD will continue to provide updates every afternoon. Additional information about the incident is available online at – https://www.ntpud.orgPlacer County reduces health advisory zone and shoreline closure to Carnelian West Beach only
This is an update for Monday, July 29, 2024, for the current beach closure and health advisory zone in Carnelian Bay.
Shoreline Health Advisory zone reduced to Carnelian West Beach only
Placer County Environmental Health, the California Tahoe Conservancy, and NTPUD are pleased to report that water quality tests taken to the West of the spill site show that bacteria levels in recent days have returned to a normal range and are within California beach water quality standards.
As of this message at 5:00 pm Monday, July 29th, the shoreline health advisory zone has been reduced to the Carnelian West Beach area only (5000 North Lake Blvd to 5100 North Lake Blvd).
Residents and visitors are advised that contact with the lake water at Carnelian West Beach could cause illness due to elevated bacteria levels.
Carnelian West Beach will remain closed until further notice, as construction crews will be returning to the site this week to continue restoration of the landscaping and beach area.
Other Lake Tahoe beaches open and not at elevated risk
Placer County Environmental Health officials want to clarify that all other Lake Tahoe beaches, including those in Tahoe City, Kings Beach, Incline Village and South Lake Tahoe, were not impacted by the Carnelian Bay spill, are not at elevated risk, and remain open.
Ongoing water quality tests and analysis surrounding the spill area since Friday, July 19, indicate these other areas were not impacted by the Carnelian Bay spill.
Lake Tahoe Water Quality Analysis Will Continue
Water quality samples are continuing to be taken from the Lake Tahoe shoreline inside and outside the advisory zone. The results have a required minimum processing time of 24 hours. Samples at each location identify the levels of bacteria in the form of total coliform, fecal coliform, and Escherichia coli (E. coli). The fecal coliform and E. coli levels are associated with untreated sewage.
Officials will continue to evaluate the results daily and the Carnelian West Beach health advisory will be lifted or modified after at least two days of data showing that levels are consistently below California beaches water quality standards.
Placer County and the NTPUD will continue to provide updates every afternoon. Additional information about the incident is available in our FAQs page.
Media Contacts
For public questions about the ongoing health advisory and related health risks, please contact:
Placer County Environmental Health
530-745-2300
For questions about the Carnelian West Beach closure or the original incident, please contact:
North Tahoe Public Utility District
Justin Broglio
530-414-8401
Carnelian Bay West beach remains closed and reduced health advisory area in effect
This is an update for Sunday, July 28, 2024.
Carnelian West Beach will remain closed, and a reduced health advisory is in effect through at least Monday, July 29. Placer County’s health advisory area has been reduced to the area between 5146 North Lake Blvd and 4600 North Lake Blvd.
Residents and visitors are advised that contact with the lake water in the reduced advisory area could cause illness due to elevated bacteria levels.
Officials are continuing to evaluate the results daily and the health advisory will be lifted or modified after at least two days of data showing that levels are consistently below California beaches water quality standards.
Water quality samples are continuing to be taken from the Lake Tahoe shoreline inside and outside the advisory zone. The results have a required minimum processing time of 24 hours.
Placer County and the NTPUD will continue to provide updates every afternoon on the ongoing health advisory and closure areas as ongoing water quality test results are evaluated.
Additional information about the incident and what to do if you came into contact with lake water in the health advisory zone since Friday, July 19, is available online on our Incident FAQ page.
Incident Update #7:
Friday, July 25, 2024 – 4:00 pm
Carnelian Bay West beach remains closed and reduced health advisory area in effect
This is an update for Friday, July 26, 2024, for the Carnelian Bay beach closures and health advisory zone.
While water quality results at the site of last Thursday’s underground pipeline strike and sewer spill in Carnelian Bay continue to trend in a positive direction, Carnelian West Beach will remain closed through at least Sunday, July 28.
Officials are continuing to evaluate the results daily and the health advisory will be lifted or modified after at least two days of data showing that levels are consistently below California beaches water quality standards.
Placer County’s health advisory area has been reduced to the area between 5146 North Lake Blvd and 4600 North Lake Blvd. This advisory is anticipated to remain in place through at least Sunday, July 28.
Residents and visitors are advised that contact with the lake water in the updated advisory area could cause illness due to elevated bacteria levels.
Water quality samples are continuing to be taken from the Lake Tahoe shoreline inside and outside the advisory zone. The results have a required minimum processing time of 24 hours.
Placer County and the NTPUD will continue to provide updates every afternoon on the ongoing health advisory and closure areas as ongoing water quality test results are evaluated.
Media Contacts
For public questions about the ongoing health advisory and related health risks, please contact:
Placer County Environmental Health
530-745-2300
For questions about the remaining beach closures or the original incident, please contact:
North Tahoe Public Utility District
Justin Broglio
530-414-8401
Patton Landing Beach opens to the public
Carnelian Bay West Beach remains closed and reduced Health Advisory zone in effect
This is an update for Thursday, July 25, 2024, for the Carnelian Bay Sewer Spill incident that occurred on Thursday evening, July 18, 2024, as a result of a private contractor striking the North Tahoe Public Utility District’s (NTPUD) main sewer export pipeline.
Patton Landing Beach Opens to the Public
Placer County Environmental Health, the California Tahoe Conservancy, and NTPUD are pleased to report that bacteria levels present in water quality tests taken over recent days at Patton Landing Beach, and East of the spill site have returned to a normal range and are within California beach water quality standards.
Patton Landing Beach will reopen to the public as of this message at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 25.
Placer County’s health advisory area has been reduced to the area between 5146 North Lake Blvd and 4600 North Lake Blvd. This advisory is anticipated to remain in place through at least Sunday, July 28. This area includes Carnelian West Beach and the immediate surrounding area extending West along the Lake Tahoe shoreline to Watson Creek.
Carnelian West Beach Remains Closed
Bacteria levels present in water quality tests taken over recent days at the Carnelian West Beach spill site are still elevated and remain above California beach water quality standards.
To continue to protect the public and all Lake Tahoe residents and visitors, Carnelian West Beach will remain closed through at least Sunday, July 28.
Residents and visitors are advised that contact with the lake water in the updated advisory area could cause illness due to elevated bacteria levels.
Lake Tahoe Water Quality Analysis Will Continue
Water quality samples are continuing to be taken from the Lake Tahoe shoreline inside and outside the advisory zone. The results have a required minimum processing time of 24 hours.
Officials will continue to evaluate the results daily and the health advisory will be lifted or modified after at least two days of data showing that levels are consistently below California beaches water quality standards.
Additionally, if ongoing water quality test results show bacteria levels rising at Patton Beach or East of the spill, the original health advisory area and beach closure will be reinstated for this area.
Beach and Site Restoration Continues
In collaboration with the California Tahoe Conservancy and Placer County, the NTPUD has completed the initial site restoration and removal of all impacted landscaping. Beginning next week, professional landscapers will work to replace the landscaping to restore the area to its original condition prior to the spill.
Additional Updates
Placer County and the NTPUD will continue to provide updates every afternoon on the ongoing health advisory and closure areas as ongoing water quality test results are evaluated.
Media Contacts
For public questions about the ongoing health advisory and related health risks, please contact:
Placer County Environmental Health
530-745-2300
For questions about the remaining beach closures or the original incident, please contact:
North Tahoe Public Utility District
Justin Broglio
530-414-8401
Health Advisory still in effect and Carnelian Bay beaches remain closed due to elevated bacteria levels
This is an update for Wednesday, July 24, 2024, for the Carnelian Bay Sewer Spill incident that occurred on Thursday evening, July 18, 2024, as a result of a private contractor striking the North Tahoe Public Utility District’s (NTPUD) main sewer export pipeline.
To continue to protect residents and visitors, the Carnelian Bay West and Patton Landing beaches will remain closed to the public until further notice and the Lake Tahoe shore zone health advisory remains in effect through at least Thursday, July 25.
Officials are evaluating the water quality test results as they come in and the health advisory will be lifted or modified after at least two days of data show that bacteria levels are consistently below California beaches water quality standards.
Additional information about the incident and what to do if you came into contact with lake water in the health advisory zone since Friday, July 19, is available on our Incident FAQs page.
Placer County and the NTPUD will continue to provide updates every afternoon on the ongoing health advisory and closure areas as ongoing water quality test results are evaluated.
Media Contacts
For public questions about the health advisory and related health risks, please contact:
Placer County
530-745-2300
For questions about the beach cleanup efforts or beach closures, please contact:
North Tahoe Public Utility District
Justin Broglio
530-414-8401
Health Advisory still in effect and Carnelian Bay beaches remain closed due to elevated bacteria levels
This is an update for Tuesday, July 23, 2024, for the Carnelian Bay Sewer Spill incident that occurred on Thursday evening, July 18, 2024, as a result of a private contractor striking the North Tahoe Public Utility District’s (NTPUD) main sewer export pipeline.
Although the data is trending downward, water quality tests results continue to show elevated levels of bacteria present at the shoreline. To protect residents and visitors, the Carnelian Bay West and Patton Landing beaches will remain closed to the public until further notice.
Residents and visitors are advised that contact with the lake water in the advisory area could cause illness due to elevated bacteria levels.
The health advisory will be lifted after multiple observations show that the bacteria levels have returned to a more typical range for water contact and recreation.
Water quality samples are being taken daily from the Lake Tahoe shoreline at the spill site, as well as areas outside the spill site. The laboratory analysis requires 24 hours to process.
Samples at each location identify the levels of bacteria in the form of total coliform, fecal coliform, and Escherichia coli (E. coli). The fecal coliform and E. coli levels are associated with untreated sewage.
Placer County health officials are evaluating the results each day to determine where elevated bacteria levels are present.
The elevated levels of bacteria, as a result of the sewer spill on Thursday, July 18, are expected to return to naturally occurring levels in the near future.
Additional information about the incident and what to do if you came into contact with lake water in the health advisory zone since Friday, July 19, is available online at – https://www.ntpud.org
Placer County and the NTPUD will continue to provide updates on the ongoing health advisory and closure areas as ongoing water quality test results are evaluated.
Carnelian Bay West beach and Patton Landing beach will remain closed, Health Advisory still in effect
This is an update for Monday, July 22, 2024, for the Carnelian Bay Sewer Spill incident that occurred on Thursday evening, July 18, 2024, as a result of a private contractor striking the North Tahoe Public Utility District’s (NTPUD) main sewer export pipeline.
Due to elevated levels of bacteria present in water quality test taken over the weekend, the Carnelian Bay West Beach and Patton Landing Beach will remain closed to the public until further notice.
A health advisory remains in effect for Lake Tahoe shoreline from 5500 North Lake Boulevard (Sahara Drive and Highway 28), and Southwest to 4600 North Lake Boulevard. (see attached map for reference).
Residents and visitors are advised that contact with the lake water in the advisory area could cause illness due to elevated bacteria levels.
Lake Tahoe Water Quality Analysis
Water quality samples are being taken daily from the Lake Tahoe shoreline at and near the spill site. The laboratory analysis requires 24-hours to process, and health officials are evaluating the results as they come in. The health advisory will remain in effect until bacteria levels in the water return to a normal level.
Public Drinking Water Not at Risk
The NTPUD’s public drinking water system is not at risk and tap water is safe to drink.
Private lakefront properties in the advisory area with their own lake intakes should be aware of these elevated bacteria levels and should contact Placer County Environmental Health with concerns about their drinking water.
Ongoing Site Restoration
In collaboration with the California Tahoe Conservancy and Placer County, the NTPUD is continuing restoration at the spill site, including disinfection and cleanup of the impacted landscaping and beach area.
Additional Updates
Placer County and the NTPUD will continue to provide updates on the ongoing health advisory and closure areas as ongoing water quality test results are evaluated.
Media Contacts
For public questions about the health advisory and related health risks, please contact:
Placer County
For questions about the beach cleanup efforts or beach closures, please contact:
North Tahoe Public Utility District
Justin Broglio
Carnelian Bay West and Patton Landing beaches remain closed, health advisory still in effect
This is an update for Saturday, July 20, 2024, for the Carnelian Bay Sewer Spill incident that occurred on Thursday evening, July 18, 2024, as a result of a private contractor striking the North Tahoe Public Utility District’s (NTPUD) main sewer export pipeline.
Due to elevated levels of bacteria the Carnelian Bay West beach and Patton Landing beach will remain closed to the public until further notice.
A health advisory also remains in effect for Lake Tahoe shoreline from 5500 North Lake Boulevard (Sahara Drive and Highway 28) to 4600 North Lake Boulevard. (see attached map for reference).
Residents and visitors are advised that contact with the lake water in the advisory area could cause illness due to elevated bacteria levels.
The NTPUD’s public drinking water system is not at risk and tap water is safe to drink.
Private lakefront properties in the advisory area with their own lake intakes should be aware of these elevated bacteria levels and can contact Placer County Environmental Health with concerns about their drinking water.
Placer County and the NTPUD will continue to provide updates on the ongoing health advisory and closure areas as ongoing water quality test results are evaluated.
Incident Details:
At approximately 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 18th, a private contractor working on Highway 28 in Carnelian Bay struck the North Tahoe Public Utility District’s (NTPUD) main sewer export pipeline.
Sewage from the pipeline overflowed into the nearby parking lot and did reach Lake Tahoe.
The NTPUD estimates that approximately 125,000 gallons of untreated sewage discharged from the District’s export pipeline at the break site. Emergency response crews were able to collect approximately 40,000 gallons of the spill at the site and return it to the export system immediately. The remaining 85,000 gallons flowed through the nearby parking lot and into Lake Tahoe.
With support from neighboring utilities, NTPUD utility crews completed disinfection and remediation of the entire impacted area above and adjacent to Lake Tahoe on Friday, July 19 at 4:00 p.m. Additional work to repair damage to landscaped areas near the shoreline is ongoing.
The NTPUD’s main sewer export pipeline was repaired and the District’s wastewater system is operating as normal. District engineers and utility operation managers will continue to monitor the incident site and pipeline repair.
For public questions about the advisory and related health risks, contact Placer County:
For questions about the beach cleanup efforts, sewer impacts or beach closures, contact Justin Broglio at the North Tahoe Public Utility District:
