After six years and nearly $4 million, Tahoe City Public Utility District has completed the acquisition and full replacement of the Lake Forest Water System.

Most of the money to upgrade the 80-year-old system came from grants. The state and Placer County were integral partners.

The water system suffered from poor water quality, lack of fire suppression, inadequate storage, and shallow, undersized water lines. In 2007, these safety problems spurred 72 percent of the customers of the Lake Forest Water System to petition TCPUD to acquire and rebuild the water system.

The court had to intervene after negotiations with the owners failed.

In 2011, TCPUD began construction and the final phase of the project was completed this October. The system includes 27 fire hydrants and more than 10,000 linear feet of new water lines serving 123 businesses and residences.