Answers to common questions about the Clean Water Revitalization Project.
T-TSA's Clean Water Revitalization Project is a multi-year initiative to modernize the existing wastewater treatment infrastructure that has been in existence for over 50 years.
Upgrading the current infrastructure will enhance the safety, reliability, and performance of T-TSA's water reclamation plant, protect water quality, and ensure continued compliance with some of the most stringent wastewater regulations in the nation. Modern treatment methods will more reliably protect public health, the Truckee River, and the surrounding watershed, while also improving system stability and ease of operation.
A new system will:
- Safeguard the Truckee River, downstream waters, and overall environment
- Reduce operational costs and carbon footprint
- More reliably protect public health
- Provide a stronger foundation for future upgrades
- Improve system performance and reliability
- Use innovative technology
- Extend the service life of the facility for the next 50 years
Work during 2026–2027 will include:
- Ongoing work on the Preliminary Design Report (PDR) and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) report
- Public outreach
The first phase — which includes design development, CEQA, and public outreach — will take approximately two years. The construction phase will take approximately 2.5 years, with the new plant up and running by the end of 2030.
T-TSA owns, operates, and maintains the Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) and Truckee River Interceptor (TRI). The agency is responsible for the conveyance and treatment of residential, commercial, and industrial wastewater for the majority of users on the California side of the North Lake Tahoe Region.
T-TSA exports sewage from the northern region of Lake Tahoe through the Truckee River Interceptor — a sewer pipeline — for treatment at its water reclamation plant, keeping wastewater out of the Tahoe Basin entirely.
T-TSA began exporting sewage after the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Act (1969) mandated that all sewage be treated and exported out of the Tahoe Basin to prevent degradation of Lake Tahoe's water quality. This mandate led to the formation of T-TSA in 1972.
T-TSA provides wastewater treatment service to several Lake Tahoe area communities in portions of El Dorado, Nevada, and Placer Counties through five member sewage collection districts: North Tahoe Public Utility District (NTPUD), Tahoe City Public Utility District (TCPUD), Alpine Springs County Water District (ASCWD), Olympic Valley Public Service District (OVPSD), and Truckee Sanitary District (TSD). Northstar Community Services District (NCSD) also contributes wastewater via TSD's collection system as a contributing agency.
T-TSA services 28,676 residential customers and 1,127 commercial customers, for a total of 29,803 customers served.
T-TSA uses several unit processes to treat influent wastewater, including primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment with advanced nutrient removal. These processes are detailed in the Tahoe-Truckee Sanitation Agency 2022 Master Sewer Plan.
All infrastructure has an anticipated useful service life that varies based on type, age, and maintenance history. System capacity needs also change with evolving populations and regulatory requirements. These factors were considered together when determining that the plant is due for replacement.
Yes. The 2022 Master Sewer Plan (Volume 3, Chapter 5 – Regulatory Requirements) examines future regulatory scenarios and their potential impacts on T-TSA operations. The Clean Water Revitalization Project is designed to best position T-TSA to meet those future requirements.