In South Lake Tahoe, Calif., water providers are planning to host a meeting on Nov. 7 to update the community on a toxic underground plume. According to the Tahoe Daily Tribune, the groundwater contaminant tetrachloroethylene (PCE), was first found in drinking water wells in 1989 near South Lake Tahoe.
The PCE is still in the groundwater and is believed to cover more than 400 acres. It is currently impacting five public drinking water wells, according to Tahoe Daily Tribune.
The contamination is supposedly originated from Lake Tahoe Laundry Works. According to the Tahoe Daily Tribune, the laundry mat operated from the 1970s until 2011.
The upcoming meeting will cover the recent action by the South Lake Tahoe Water Suppliers to protect the water supply, according to a press release from South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD). The district is one of the three entities hosting the meeting, the others being the Lukins Brothers Water Company and Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association.
According to the Tahoe Daily Tribune, the officials will provide an update of the progress of a study aiming to identify the most cost-effective approach to removing PCE from the groundwater. The study will integrate information collection during the pre-design investigation with evaluation results from groundwater model simulations. The utility district installed a test well to collect soil and groundwater samples earlier this year.
All water provided by the STPUD, Lukins and Tahoe Keys meet drinking water standards and have been given the okay to drink, according to the district.
The meeting will take place Nov. 7 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Lake Tahoe Airport in City Council Chambers. The airport is located at 1901 Airport Road, South Lake Tahoe, Calif., 96150.