Amador County – The Plymouth City Council heard an update on the status of the new city water pipeline last week, learning that the city’s storage capacity is 250,000 gallons shy of state requirements. The pipeline was completed last year, but the city has been working to answer some of the concerns that the state has regarding the city water system. City Clerk Gloria Stoddard said the state requires a 750,000-gallon storage tank for a city the size of Plymouth, but the city storage tank is only 500,000 gallons. Consultant Richard Prima told the city council Thursday that the state is requiring the city to find backup storage to meet that threshold. Stoddard said they are “trying to be able to use wells as that backup storage,” and “since wells basically have been used to run the city for the last 10-15 years,” city officials “know the wells will produce” adequate water flow. The Amador Water Agency board of directors, partners in the pipeline, also discussed the permitting earlier Thursday. AWA Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said the state is going to “allow the city to bring in other sources of water.” Director Gary Thomas was worried about the city’s 84 delinquent water bills with pending “shutoff notices” in the city, even as they turned the spigot on the Plymouth pipeline. District 5 Director Terence Moore said “you don’t understand the city of Plymouth.” He said he has been on their shutoff list before, and the only way you can pay the bill “is by mailing it in or walking it in” to City Hall. Mancebo said he cannot speak to the delinquency, which is up to the city. AWA Attorney Stephen Kronick said in an agreement, Plymouth agreed it “shall use all of its authority and resources to meet these obligations.” He said failure to do so could lead to “shutting off the entire system.” Mancebo said AWA advised the city that it will begin billing as of mid-December for its rather substantial “water service charge,” billing half the charges in December, and the full service charges in January. Mancebo said Plymouth has “limited ability to use AWA water, and will use their own water plant until they get the water permit in place.” After permitting, Plymouth will not be able to use it water treatment plant regularly, and only will be able to use it as a back-up. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.