Amador County – Emergency irrigation spraying on Mace Meadow Golf Course has helped the Amador Water Agency reduce the level of its treated wastewater storage pond, and led to the lifting of a voluntary water conservation order for Upcountry water customers.

27 days after issuing a voluntary conservation order due to heavy rains, the AWA Wednesday announced that it was lifting the order, after the level of water in the storage ponds at Mace Meadow was brought below the level the state considers critical to the system.

AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo announced the easing of the voluntary conservation order, saying “the backwash pond at the Mace Meadow Golf Course is now below the two-foot freeboard emergency level, as determined by the Regional Water Quality Control Board.”

He said dry weather, coupled with the agency’s agreement with Mace Meadow “allowing significant irrigation on the golf course, has reduced the pond level.” He said irrigation spraying on the golf course will continue through the upcoming weekend, “which will reduce the pond level by at least another foot.”

Mancebo said: “We will be monitoring the weather and the pond level closely and work with the Golf Course Board to reactivate early irrigation before the pond reaches the two-foot freeboard elevation, should that be necessary.”

The voluntary water conservation order was put into place on Jan. 6, after heavy rains. On Wednesday, it was lifted. It covers all public water customers of Mace Meadow Mutual Water Company, Rabb Park Community Services District, Pine Grove Community Services District and AWA’s Retail System in the Central Amador Water Project. Water usage can return to normal in all of those districts.

Mancebo said the agency wanted “to thank all of the Upcountry water users for their cooperation in conserving water over the past month.” He said when they “ask for help, our customers always go above and beyond.”

AWA Operations Manager Chris McKeage has been working on installing a filter system to recycle backwash water that flows into the Mace Meadow storage pond. McKeage said agency crews are on track to have the second-hand backwash recycling plant online in two weeks. It’s expected that recycling will reduce backwash water sent to the ponds by at least 80 percent.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.