Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board this week will look at the La Mel Heights water service area, as the agency prepares to look at potential rate increases there. The agency is scheduled to discuss answers by staff to questions asked during a rate hearing last October. A report by engineering, finance and operations departments compiled by Interim Engineering Manager Erik Christeson recommends the board approve the responses and schedule another public meeting with La Mel customers. AWA and Lockwood Fire Protection District conducted fire flow and hydraulic tests to answer some of the 34 questions. The report said AWA took over operation of La Mel water system in 1987. To regain control, residents would have to form a home owners’ association (or similar district); transfer the system and public health permits into the name of the entity; and “enter into contracts with a licensed treatment and distribution system operators.” AWA took over La Mel water with $24,000 “on the books.” The report said $20,000 was spent to construct capital improvement, including a treatment and pump station building. The district underwent a $533,000 upgrade in 2005, with a $212,000 loan and a $148,000 grant, both through USDA. AWA paid $92,000; Volcano Telephone paid $31,000; and the county Water Development Fund paid $50,000. The project installed a new storage tank, and a new water main to all but 5 homes in the area. One question was why the system “collapses” when a fire tanker fills up using La Mel’s hydrant? The report said the “system has not actually collapsed, but it does experience very low” pressure (and possibly no pressure) “under high flows such as a fire hydrant flowing.” The report said “fire tanker trucks could reduce their fill rates to minimize impact to the system pressure.” The “new distribution main and fire hydrants accommodate some fire protection which did not exist previously,” the report said. But fighting a “ground fire” could result in “zero system pressure,” and a “boil water order” until multiple tests show no presence of coliform. The report said Lockwood Fire Chief Dave Long “has a plan which includes using a tender to take water directly form a hydrant at a limited rate and use the tender as the source with boosted pressures to fight structure fires at the La Mel subdivision.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. -
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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board this week will look at the La Mel Heights water service area, as the agency prepares to look at potential rate increases there. The agency is scheduled to discuss answers by staff to questions asked during a rate hearing last October. A report by engineering, finance and operations departments compiled by Interim Engineering Manager Erik Christeson recommends the board approve the responses and schedule another public meeting with La Mel customers. AWA and Lockwood Fire Protection District conducted fire flow and hydraulic tests to answer some of the 34 questions. The report said AWA took over operation of La Mel water system in 1987. To regain control, residents would have to form a home owners’ association (or similar district); transfer the system and public health permits into the name of the entity; and “enter into contracts with a licensed treatment and distribution system operators.” AWA took over La Mel water with $24,000 “on the books.” The report said $20,000 was spent to construct capital improvement, including a treatment and pump station building. The district underwent a $533,000 upgrade in 2005, with a $212,000 loan and a $148,000 grant, both through USDA. AWA paid $92,000; Volcano Telephone paid $31,000; and the county Water Development Fund paid $50,000. The project installed a new storage tank, and a new water main to all but 5 homes in the area. One question was why the system “collapses” when a fire tanker fills up using La Mel’s hydrant? The report said the “system has not actually collapsed, but it does experience very low” pressure (and possibly no pressure) “under high flows such as a fire hydrant flowing.” The report said “fire tanker trucks could reduce their fill rates to minimize impact to the system pressure.” The “new distribution main and fire hydrants accommodate some fire protection which did not exist previously,” the report said. But fighting a “ground fire” could result in “zero system pressure,” and a “boil water order” until multiple tests show no presence of coliform. The report said Lockwood Fire Chief Dave Long “has a plan which includes using a tender to take water directly form a hydrant at a limited rate and use the tender as the source with boosted pressures to fight structure fires at the La Mel subdivision.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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