Tahoetopia interviewed various local authorities for this series of stories.

TCPUD
The Tahoe City Public Utility District (TCPUD) has an emergency response plan in place for sewer and water. According to Risk Coordinator, Jack Beckman, all facilities have back-up power. In addition, TCPUD can turn on or turn off all pump systems and bypass sewer lines from the main office in Tahoe City.

The TCPUD, which has identified fire as the most likely local disaster, has fire-resistance buildings at its wells and pump stations. The district has also kept old intake pipes in place. They enable the district to draw water from Lake Tahoe in case of a natural catastrophe that disables the well system.

“Our job is to continue to supply safe drinking water to people and prevent contamination [from a sewage spill],” said Assistant General Manager Cindy Gustafson.

The district has hand-held radios for staff communication, a chain of command, and back-up generators that it tests monthly. Fuel is stored on-site for the generators. Since the 1997 flood, the district has conducted emergency drills with its entire staff.

While the TCPUD doesn’t have inter-agency plans other than notification plans, it does have mutual aid agreements with other water and sewer agencies, such as the North Tahoe Public Utility District, the Tahoe Truckee Sanitation Agency and the Incline Village General Improvement District.

Some of the district’s buildings have been identified by the county’s OES as potential evacuation sites, including the Fairway Community Center and the main TCPUD office on the west edge of Tahoe City.

But the fire district’s Keller is wary of evacuations unless there is an imminent, life-threatening situation.

“They often cause more problems than they solve,” he said.