Amador County – The Ione City Council Tuesday discussed its future wastewater treatment plant, and regional options when it opens. City Manager Kim Kerr reported on recent discussions with the Joint Water Committee, Amador Water Agency, supervisors, Sutter Creek, California Department of Corrections, Amador Regional Sanitation Authority and Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort. Discussions are on-going over “wastewater and the possibility of working together in the future,” Kerr said, adding that Ione’s whole Environmental Impact Report, for its wastewater treatment plant, “is based on partnership” and the city will continue to talk with the groups “about coming into our system.” Kerr said meetings emphasized that Gold Rush, if approved, “will make a significant impact on Sutter Creek and Ione.” Kerr said “if it goes in,” Ione can sit with the parties and discuss regional partnerships. She said Gold Rush plans show “maximum flows,” but its developers will look for other disposal methods. Kerr said “one of the key players of Gold Rush is a key player in Arroyo Seco, which surrounds us, and which may give the city some leverage.” Arroyo Seco developers Bill Bunce and John Telischak, are partners with Troy Claveran on Gold Rush in Sutter Creek. AWA District 2 Director Gary Thomas told the council he thought Kerr has the right idea of having only “tertiary treated water for the (Jackson) Valley.” Thomas said Kerr is right, in “waiting to see what Gold Rush actually does.” He said the best way to look at regional solutions was to “find the need and work backward” to sources. Mayor Lee Ard said they will have meetings “with all potential customers” and Ione is “going ahead and building a wastewater treatment plant.” Ard said “we’re building one while everyone else is talking about it.” Ard said: “We can be a true regional facility,” and Ione should “end up with a wastewater plant that’s good for 30-50 years and everybody’s benefiting because everybody’s contributing.” Councilman David Plank said even if Gold Rush had 300 houses, it will “take a long time to sell them.” Councilman Jim Ulm said “they need a tertiary plant” in Sutter Creek, because Ione is “not going to pump water uphill.” Ulm said if Ione reuses water, “it just makes water more useful everywhere,” and “frees up raw water for the AWA.” Thomas said on December 10th the AWA board will continue discussion of joining ARSA. He said ARSA has debt and a lot of pipeline needing maintenance. Studies showed a $30 million to $50 million cost fully restore the ARSA system. Thomas said ARSA’s 9 miles of secondary effluent conveyances between Sutter Creek and Ione carry “a lot of liability” for ARSA members. Thomas said he thinks “tertiary is the way to go” in Ione. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.