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Utility district prevents sewage spill into Lake Tahoe

Submitted to the Tribune

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — A sewage spill into Lake Tahoe was prevented this past weekend.

South Tahoe Public Utility District received a call regarding a foul odor coming from the beach by Valhalla boat house.

Upon arriving on scene, crews discovered that the sewer main had backed up causing a manhole 35 feet from the edge of Lake Tahoe to fill with sewage, the district said in a press release.



The crew worked through the night to break the stoppage and prevent a sewage spill into the lake.

The crews also worked throughout Sunday and Monday to clear sand out of the sewer main and send a camera down the line to assess the issue. With the approval of the United States Forest Service, Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Army Corp of Engineers, the district mobilized Tuesday morning.



Excavation revealed that Valhalla’s private sewer lateral was missing the cap causing sand to get into and clog the sewer main. The district’s crew capped the lateral and encapsulated it to prevent future issues.

“If you ever smell a sewer odor, please give us a call so we can check out the issue,” said Chris Stanley, field operations manager for the District. “The community member that called us, the fast response by our crews, and all of the public agencies working together helped to prevent a sewer spill into Lake Tahoe.”

STPUD crews to fix a sewage leak. (Provided / STPUD)

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