Ledger-Dispatch

By Jerry Budrick (jbudrick@ledger-dispatch.com= )=20

From left, Dave Thomas, Madonna = Wiebold, John=20 Swift, Paul Scott and Terry Moore make up the current board of = directors=20 for the Amador Water Agency.

Photo by: Jerry=20 Budrick
Much has been written about the = Amador=20 Transmission Pipeline, the 8-mile water pipeline from Lake Tabeaud to = Tanner=20 Reservoir, which last year replaced the 23-mile ditch as the Amador = Water=20 Agency's main supply line. By eliminating evaporation and leakage, the = pipeline=20 has accomplished its goal of making the county's entire allocation of = 15,000=20 acre feet of Mokelumne River water available for use.

At = Thursday's=20 meeting of the AWA Board of Directors, an additional benefit sprang = forth. Down=20 in Ione, at the western end of the Amador Water System, AWA has a = treatment=20 plant for that city's drinking water where the water is coming in = cleaner than=20 expected. So much so that water delivered to Ione without mud from the = old ditch=20 requires 50,000 gallons a day less water to backflush the system. On top = of the=20 backwash water savings to the agency, diminished water flow into the = city's=20 wastewater system will reduce costly filter maintenance and lessen = demands on=20 the wastewater system. Some savings were expected, but the agency is = pleasantly=20 surprised at the actual results.

Water and wastewater are = essential=20 elements of any plans for growth and development. The AWA has been = working on a=20 project aimed at turning vast quantities of wastewater back into useful = water=20 again.

A regional wastewater treatment plant, centrally located, = could be=20 capable of transforming the combined flows of wastewater from the entire = Highway=20 49 corridor into what AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie calls "a water = supply=20 asset." Abercrombie's hope is to spread the message that wastewater = needn't be=20 thought of as a liability or nuisance, something to be disposed of or = thrown=20 away. Treated water can serve many purposes, perhaps the greatest of = which is=20 increasing the supply of potable water through replacing its use in = parklands=20 and industry.

The realization of a coalition has not been falling = easily=20 into place. Both Jackson and Sutter Creek have wastewater treatment = plants of=20 their own, each with its own unique circumstances and situation. Neither = is=20 immediately willing to sign on to the agency's plan for a regional plant = variously estimated to cost anywhere between $20 and $40 = million.

Agency=20 Director Terry Moore spoke in favor of pursuing creation of the regional = wastewater plant, mentioning the potential benefits to golf courses, = Unimin (a=20 large industrial water user near Ione) and Jackson Valley Irrigation=20 District.

"We need the support of the county and the communities. = The=20 regional plant is going to be very costly," said Agency Director Paul = Scott.=20 "The pipeline started at $7 million and went to $20 million."

The = agency=20 is scheduled to appear at the Sutter Creek City Council meeting on April = 7 to=20 discuss wastewater treatment.

An issue of concern to = approximately 150=20 users along what used to be a ditch of water from Lake Tabeaud is moving = along=20 to its next phase. There will be what AWA calls "Small Pipe Workshops" = in the=20 days ahead to discuss details of the plan to continue providing water to = those=20 accustomed to getting it from the ditch. Property owners and other = interested=20 parties in the affected areas are invited to call the agency for the = workshop=20 schedule.

Final decisions have yet to be made and input from the = people=20 involved is being actively solicited. The plan calls for different sizes = of pipe=20 for different purposes, from agricultural to domestic. There is a real=20 possibility that the small pipeline could deliver treated water to some = homes=20 that have had only untreated ditch water for many years. Some customers = have=20 indicated an interest and a majority might be = sufficient.

Camanche=20 wastewater recycling issues have led to plans for pumping treated water = onto=20 farmland as irrigation water. Complications have arisen due to the = possible=20 presence of the California Tiger Salamander. Meetings at the site are = scheduled=20 for the near future with the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, AWA = and=20 representation from California 3d District Congressman Dan Lungren's=20 office.

The Plymouth pipeline may be going out to bid by May or = June. AWA=20 Financial Services Manager Michael Lee informed the directors that = funding for=20 the pipeline will be on upcoming board meeting agendas. Lee also warned = the=20 directors that, in light of California's $16 billion budget deficit, = "the state=20 may be making attempts to nab property tax dollars. The state will = probably get=20 very creative."

AWA Operations Manager Chris McKeage revealed = that the=20 agency still has eight wooden tanks in its operating = inventory.

During=20 budget discussion, Scott assured everyone in the room that "the AWA = budget is=20 public information. I believe in transparency." The budget may be found = on the=20 Web site at www.amadorwa.com under the heading, Finance/Rates.

Jerry = Budrick