Warning to Lake Tahoe Tech Elites: There Is ‘High Potential’ That You Are Drinking Poop Water

Warning to Lake Tahoe Tech Elites: Risk of Fecal Contamination in Water

Residents of Incline Village, one of the wealthiest communities on Lake Tahoe and home to several Silicon Valley billionaires, have been alerted to a potential contamination issue in their water supply.

Boil Water Warning Issued

The community issued a public notice on Monday, advising residents not to drink tap water unless it has been boiled first.

The notice explains that the water system "experienced an event that resulted in loss of pressure in the distribution system, which may cause backpressure, backsiphonage, or a net movement of water from outside the pipe to the inside through cracks, breaks, or joints in the distribution system that are common in all water systems."

Potential Health Risks

This breach can allow contaminants, including harmful fecal matter, to enter the water supply.

"Such a system failure carries with it a high potential that fecal contamination or other disease-causing organisms could enter the distribution system," the notice states. "These conditions may pose an imminent and substantial health endangerment to persons served by the system."

Safety Instructions

This alert highlights the serious risk faced by even affluent communities when water system failures occur.

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Gizmodo Gizmodo — 2025-11-06

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