Truckee Donner Public Utility District
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"Where Does Our Water Come From?" TDPUD's Communications Team talks with Truckee-Tahoe Radio about all things Truckee water—where it comes from, how we deliver it to you, and the upcoming water rate public process.
"Truckee Donner PUD modernizes bill pay methods" In April, TDPUD's Board of Directors approved new account management tools for customers, accepted new funding from grants and insurance reimbursement for training and operations, and recognized staff for their hard work, both on the job and at the recent Lineworkers Rodeo. Read more here.
"TDPUD Approves Power Cost Adjustment Credit" TDPUD's Board of Directors approved several key initiatives at its March meeting, including a power cost adjustment credit to electric customers, a new bill round-up program, and a resolution outlining the impacts that federal funding cuts will have locally on wildfire mitigation and readiness. Read more here.
"Truckee Donner PUD recognized for transparent financial reporting for fourth year in a row" TDPUD's Financial Reporting Team was honored by a government finance industry group for its excellence in financial reporting. Read more here.
"Truckee Donner PUD Launches New Scholarship Program" TDPUD has launched a new scholarship program that targets both college-bound high school seniors and local students interested in pursuing the trade and vocational skills that make electric and water utilities function. Read more here.
"Martis Valley Groundwater Basin: A Vital Resource for the Region" Do you know where Truckee's drinking water comes from? The Sierra Sun dove deep into our unique underground resource. Read more here.
"TDPUD Board Advances Groundwater Plan Update and Broadband Expansion" Exciting projects were approved by the TDPUD board at the February meeting. Read more here.
"Truckee Donner PUD Board Kicks Off 2025" The TDPUD board held its first meeting of the year. Read more here.
"Truckee Donner PUD Reflects on a Transformative 2024, Plans for a Resilient Future," General Manager Brian Wright spoke to the Sierra Sun about TDPUD's successes in 2024 and trajectory going into 2025. Read more here.
"TDPUD Recaps its 2024," TDPUD's Communications Team talks with Truckee-Tahoe Radio about what the agency accomplished in 2024, and its plans for the future.
"Truckee Donner PUD awarded Transparency Certificate of Excellence," Truckee Donner Public Utility District has been awarded the District Transparency Certificate of Excellence from the Special District Leadership Foundation, in recognition of its outstanding efforts to promote transparency and good governance. Read more here.
"Resource Planning Efforts, Battery Storage Assessment Detailed by Truckee Donner PUD GM," In the latest episode of APPA's podcast, Public Power Now, Brian Wright, General Manager for California public power utility Truckee Donner Public Utility District, discusses the utility’s resource planning efforts and details a battery energy storage system assessment. Listen here
"Truckee Donner PUD Honors Board Member Joe Aguera's 37 Years of Service," Truckee Donner Public Utility District named a newly-built water pump station the Joseph “Joe” R. Aguera Pump Station, in recognition of Aguera’s 37 years of commendable service. A ceremony was held at the pump station on Aug. 28, which included Director Aguera’s family, friends, colleagues and local agency leaders. Read more
"Truckee Water Agencies Celebrate 8th Annual Water Professionals Appreciation Week," Truckee Sanitary District, Truckee Donner Public Utility District and Tahoe-Truckee Sanitation Agency express their gratitude for the community’s great water professionals and everyone who supports them. Read more
"Beat the Heat Without Breaking the Budget," TDPUD shares tips for staying cool while limiting energy use. Read more
"TDPUD Fire Season and the Possibility of Power Loss," TDPUD staff speak with KTKE Truckee-Tahoe Radio about preparing for wildfire safety outages and TDPUD's wildfire mitigation efforts. Read more and listen below.
"Finding the Pieces for the Resource Adequacy Puzzle," TDPUD Electric Utility Director Jared Carpenter spoke to the American Public Power Association about the challenges the district faces in procuring the energy needed to power Truckee, and how our IRP addresses these obstacles. Read more
TDPUD Press Releases
Truckee Donner PUD and Truckee Fire Collaborate on Adopt a Hydrant Outreach and Education
Local agencies urge community members to remove snow from fire hydrants to facilitate access in an emergency
Truckee, Calif. (Feb. 28, 2023) – Truckee Donner Public Utility District and Truckee Fire Protection District are joining forces to encourage community members to help keep our community safe by adopting a fire hydrant this winter.
In a winter as snowy as this one, snow removal is top of mind for Truckee residents. While most people focus on removing snow from driveways, walkways, decks and roofs, not everyone thinks about removing snow from shared community resources like fire hydrants. There are almost 3,000 fire hydrants in the Truckee Fire Protection District, and while TDPUD and Truckee Fire clear some priority hydrants on main roads and near critical infrastructure, it’s not practical or feasible to task either agency with providing the resources necessary to clear the thousands of hydrants in town following each storm.
“Truckee Fire works hard to fight fire and keep the community safe, but in the winter we need our community’s assistance to fulfill this mission,” said Ryan Ochoa, Truckee Fire battalion chief. “We are asking people to pitch in and help keep their neighborhood hydrants clear so that we can get straight to work in the event of an emergency. The time we save on not having to locate and dig out hydrants is time that we can spend putting out fire and protecting your home.”
TDPUD and Truckee Fire are asking Truckee residents to “Adopt a Hydrant” in their neighborhood, and work with their neighbors to keep it clear of snow. The agencies recommend clearing a three-foot space around the entire hydrant, as well as clearing an access path from the hydrant to the street. This will ensure that firefighters have enough room around the hydrant to work, as well as allow them to identify and access the hydrant upon arrival. Residents should also exercise caution and use the appropriate tools when removing snow to avoid damaging the hydrant.
“When huge snow berms are an everyday part of winter life in Truckee, it can be easy to forget that some important items lie under all that snow,” said Chad Reed, TDPUD water director. “Unfortunately, many people don’t think about it until something goes wrong. Whether it’s your meter, your main shutoff valve, or your street’s fire hydrant, it’s important to keep access to this critical equipment clear of snow.”
House fires occur at the highest rates during the winter months. When Truckee Fire responds to put out a house fire, they arrive with enough water to make an initial fire attack, but firefighters are quickly in need of a continuous water supply from a fire hydrant to extinguish some fires. Finding and connecting to a fire hydrant is one of the firefighters' first priorities, but accessing them when they are buried under heavy snow can be a challenge. Firefighters might have to spend valuable time searching for and digging out a hydrant when they could be doing other important tasks to knock down fire in your neighborhood. When the weather is clear, take some time to locate your nearest hydrant, and do your part to keep it clear of snow and ice.
For more information on keeping your hydrants clear, visit truckeefire.org/adopt-a-hydrant.
About Truckee Donner PUD:
TDPUD is a public utility district created in 1927 and overseen by a locally-elected board of directors. TDPUD is a not-for-profit entity that provides the greater Truckee area with reliable and high-quality water and power services, while guiding the community to conserve resources. For more information about TDPUD, call 530-587-3896 or visit tdpud.org.
About Truckee Fire:
Truckee Fire Protection District was established in 1894 and is overseen by a locally-elected board of directors. TFPD protects the lives, property and environment of residents and visitors to its 125 square mile fire district in and around Truckee through fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention and wildfire preparedness. For more information about TFPD, call 530-582-7850 or visit truckeefire.org.
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Media Contact: Steven Poncelet, Truckee Donner PUD, 530-582-3951, stevenponcelet@tdpud.org
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Media Contacts
Steven Poncelet, Strategic Affairs & Public Information Director | stevenponcelet@tdpud.org, 530-582-3951
Alex Spychalsky, Communications Program Manager | alex@tdpud.org, 530-582-3986