Sutter Creek – The Amador Water Agency board of directors voted 5-0 Friday to send a draft water and wastewater agreement to the Amador County Board of Supervisors, for its proposed Martell jail. The draft was made by the Amador Water System Ad Hoc Committee, made up of AWA President Terence Moore, Vice President Bill Condrashoff and Supervisor Chairman Ted Novelli and Supervisor John Plasse. The county is looking at purchasing property in the Amador Central Business Park, and the agreement, in part, would guarantee water and wastewater services to the new jail, and settle participation fees. Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said the board approved terms likely would go to attorneys to work on an agreement. The proposed jail is estimated to need 22,000 gallons of water a day and produce 19,400 gallons of wastewater a day, maximum. Mancebo said the needs and flows should be lower, but the agency currently does not have the capacity to accept that much wastewater. Sutter Creek Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe told Mancebo there are some real estate developments in Sutter Creek that are not going forward, due to foreclosure or other reasons. Rabe said city staff will seek a change in policy to hasten the availability of wastewater service capacity from those projects that are not going forward. He reportedly will be taking a policy change recommendation to the Sutter Creek City Council at its next meeting, to see if the city can have wastewater capacity useable in an earlier time period. Mancebo said AWA could look to amend its 100,000 gallon a day wastewater capacity agreement with Sutter Creek to 120,000 gallons a day, “hopefully at the same rate.” The agency could also talk with Jackson officials about the possibility of taking some of the Martell wastewater flow. Mancebo said a lift station at Martell would need improvement to serve the jail. Director Debbie Dunn asked about a “risk factor” with Sutter Creek, and Condrashoff said nothing is in writing. County General Service Administration Director Jon Hopkins said “the statements on the document are accurate.” A one-time wastewater participation fee was recommended at a rate of $9,310 per Equivalent Dwelling Unit, totaling a maximum of 97 EDUs. That $903,000 could be paid over a year, after execution of the agreement. It was also recommended it could be paid over 10 years, with a “3 percent annual escalator imposed at the beginning of the second year on any unpaid balance.” The rate was based on an agreement with Sutter Creek to get the capacity. But if the agreement with the city was not executed, the county would pay $11,728 per EDU in a participation fee totaling $1.1 million. The water participation fee would get a partial credit if the jail permanently abandons a 2-inch connection in Jackson, and if city officials there agree. Story by Jim Reece This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it