The Amador Water Agency is looking at alternative uses for their recently-acquired 44 acres adjacent to the existing Tanner Water Treatment Facility on Ridge Road. The L-shaped parcel is immediately south and to the west of the existing facility and borders the runway of Westover Field Airport. The agency has proposed four different alternatives for the property. The agency originally considered building a new office and water treatment facility to the west, but due to the fact that 13 acres bordering Ridge Road are zoned commercial, most of the alternatives feature improvements farther south of the road. The alternative that was most well-received by agency staff and the board features building a treatment plant to the southwest of the existing site, replacing the “raw bowl,” or water storage pool, with two four-million gallon treated water storage tanks, and expanding the current office structure westward. Jim Abercrombie, General Manager for the agency, indicated that the raw bowl will no longer be needed, as water from their new pipeline will flow directly to the treatment plant, and then from there, pumped up to the proposed two water storage tanks. This alternative “keeps things in tight,” says Abercrombie, “leaving more land for (future uses).” In regards to the 13 commercial acres on Ridge Road, the agency looked at possible future uses, including allowing commercial development and leasing the land, a suggestion recommended by Debbie Dunn. The agency also discussed reserving pieces of the new parcel in order to sell it in the future to recoup some of the purchase expense. Board member Paul Scott brought up concerns about selling the property for commercial use and what impacts that would have on water plant operations. For now, the alternatives are still being looked at, and future building is “several years away,” says Abercrombie.