Posted November 15, 2024

IVGID's drinking water found to have odor levels above secondary drinking water standards

The Incline Village General Improvement District's water system recently violated a Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP) secondary drinking water standard. Although this is not an emergency, as our customers you have a right to know what happened, what you should do and what we are doing to correct this situation.

IVGID routinely monitors for the presence of drinking water contaminants. Testing results we received between July and October 2024 indicate that odor was at or above the Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) of 3.0 Threshold Odor Number (TON). The average detected concentration was 15.5 TON.

What should I do?
You DO NOT need to use an alternative water supply (e.g. bottled water) and do not need to take any additional steps to purify your water supply (e.g. boiling water). Odor in drinking water is only an aesthetic concern, and is not necessarily indicative of any safety-related contaminants. However, if you have specific health concerns, we recommend you consult with your doctor.

What does this mean?
Odor in drinking water is not a safety issue. Noticeable effects related to odor concentrations above the SMCL can include rotten egg, musty/earthy, sweet, smoke or chemical-like smells. The testing that resulted in this violation is done by a panel of human testers using their own subjective judgement of the odors present in our drinking water.

What is IVGID doing?
IVGID is following the requirements set forth by our Nevada regulatory agency - the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection/Bureau of Safe Drinking Water - by analyzing the District’s drinking water quarterly in 2025 for odor. 

What does a Threshold Odor Number (TON) mean?
Threshold odor numbers (TONs) are whole numbers that indicate how many times a water sample needs to be diluted to be "odor-free." The TON is a measurement of the intensity of an odor, and it represents the dilution ratio at which the odor is barely detectable.

Are there steps I can take at home to minimize odors in my drinking water?
A simple carbon block filter (pitcher or tap mount) will often remove final traces of metals (from your plumbing), chlorine (a disinfectant required in municipal water distribution systems) and resolve any taste or odor issues.

Where can I find more information on IVGID's drinking water quality?
We have detailed information on the quality of IVGID's drinking water available on the Water Quality page of our website, including links to the past 10+ years of Consumer Confidence Reports.  

For more information, please contact the IVGID Public Works office at 775-832-1288.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses in the Incline Village and Crystal Bay community). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.