Amador County – The Amador Water Agency and county fire agencies last month approved a joint fire hydrant inspection program to tend to the more than 1,000 hydrants the agency oversees in Amador County.

The Agency announced the decision March 30th, saying it had been working with Amador Fire Protection District and other county fire agencies to develop a cooperative program of fire hydrant inspections. In its late March meeting, the AWA Board of Directors approved a policy of guidelines and forms for the project.

AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo said “Amador Fire Protection District staff will make inspections of AWA-owned fire hydrants in the district.” He said the “inspection program will help alert the Agency to problems with hydrants or other fire protection equipment.” Mancebo said the Water Agency has had informal relationships with some of the fire agencies, but the AWA Board asked for a formal policy.

AFPD Battalion Chief Dave Bellerive said later that the agencies are working together on a plan that will “ensure that the fire hydrants we have are in good working order.”

Mancebo said there are about 1,053 AWA hydrants in Amador County. The Agency has begun the task of identifying each hydrant by its GPS coordinates, but has not completed that project due to reduced staffing levels and budget constraints. Agency crews currently inspect hydrants on an as-needed basis. In some of the county’s water systems, hydrant repairs are being deferred for lack of funds.

During discussion, Directors Paul Molinelli Senior of District 1, and Art Toy of District 5, said they supported a formal hydrant inventory and maintenance program, and an understanding of the cost involved in such an effort, before adopting a policy involving other agencies, Mancebo said. The policy was approved on a 3-2 vote, with Molinelli and Toy dissenting.

Also in late March, the AWA Directors voted to hold a workshop aimed at rental property owners on the issue of tenant billing for water and wastewater service. Mancebo said more than 900 Agency customers, about 11 percent, are renters.

“The current policy of billing tenants directly for water and wastewater services has become a costly burden on the Agency, due to tenant turnover and delinquencies,” Mancebo said.

Currently, liens against property for unpaid Agency bills total more than $150,000. Property owners are ultimately responsible for water and wastewater bills and penalties, but the Agency has been billing and attempting collections from renters as a courtesy service.

AWA staff proposed to stop billing tenants during the last budget process as a potential cost reduction. Directors want to hear from rental property owners before making a decision and will schedule a public workshop on the matter within 60 days.

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