Sutter Creek – Amador Water Agency attorney Steve Kronick and Interim General Manger Gene Mancebo gave information on the history of the Amador Regional Sanitation Authority last week as the board considers whether to join that group. Kronick began a series of 3 meetings delineating ARSA, with the goal to fully inform the board about ARSA so it has the information needed to decide whether to move in the direction of a regional approach to wastewater service, or whether it would wants to join ARSA. Director Debbie Dunn asked if the briefing had the “ultimate” goal of making the board “able to make a request to be on the ARSA board.” Kronick said the goal instead was to have information sufficient to decide whether or not to join ARSA. Kronick said ARSA’s agreements in its system include a state diversion right allowing diversion of Sutter Creek water to dilute its discharge. He said it requires minimum and maximum diversions. Mancebo said in winter, water is stored and law prohibits disposal at the system’s spray fields in Castle Oaks, which use Mule Creek Prison wastewater. He said the tertiary plant, at the golf course, is only used during irrigation season. Director Gary Thomas, District 2, said Ione owns the golf course and leases it to Castle Oaks. Thomas said the Mule Creek supply also includes wastewater from the Calfire training facility, and Preston School, “so they have an abundant supply of waste.” Mancebo said ARSA accepts wastewater from Sutter Creek, and its primary storage lake, Henderson Reservoir “is in need of additional capacity,” and it needs “improvements for long-term viability.” Thomas said: “That whole system needs improvement.” Mancebo said a study of replacing all pipes and conveyances in the ARSA system found it could cost $30 million to $50 million to make those upgrades. Kronick said the status of the system and its conditions are “not addressed by (his) presentation” and the AWA board “may want a separate study and presentation” on the condition of the ARSA system. He said the state of repair of the system “does play a significant role in how to proceed.” Thomas said AWA needs to develop a wastewater master plan, with involvement of local cities and the county. Ione is one of the ARSA members, along with Amador City, Sutter Creek, and Amador County. AWA District 1 Director Bill Condrashoff said the AWA board should probably first decide on whether it wanted to participate in ARSA. Story by Jim Reece This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it