Amador County – The Amador Water Agency Board of Directors held a public hearing last week on its draft Urban Water Management Plan.

The Agency is required to update the plan every five years, and follows guidelines of the California Department of Water Resources, which requires the encouragement of public participation and a public hearing in the approval process.

The Aug. 11 hearing took comments and the Plan is available on AWA’s website for review, AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo said. Staff will address comments as appropriate, and bring the Plan back, with possible revisions, for Directors’ consideration and possible adoption Aug. 25.

In the public hearing, Tom Infusino, attorney for Foothill Conservancy, commented on chapters, and said his organization would make a written submittal. He said he would have liked more time to comment, but realized the state was late in releasing requirements for the Plan.

He questioned growth rates projections, including Plymouth’s 4 percent. He said that growth “has only been attained by a handful of the 300 cities in California.”

Infusino recommended recycling effluent, and having building standards recommend water reduction. For meeting a state “demand management measure,” he hoped AWA “partners with a local non-profit group” to help develop “defensible numbers.”

Bill Condrashoff said the Plan showed water usage growth to 3,598 acre feet by 2015. He said growth had happened in some years, but AWA still saw water usage reduced. Condrashoff said it appeared the “purpose of the report is an excuse to build.”

Board President Don Cooper said: “Are you saying we shouldn’t plan for the future?” Condrashoff said they should, but he thought the report was written “to get grant money.”

Debbie Dunn said the Board should take the advice of Infusino, “who just beat East Bay Municipal Utility District” by causing a re-scoping of part of its 30-year Water Plan. She said it’s “a free opportunity to make a great document here.”

Director Paul Molinelli Senior asked if anybody on staff is obligated to take notes to answer comments. Mancebo said staff takes notes, the meeting is being recorded, and “in this case we absolutely do” have to answer comments on the Urban Water Management Plan.

Molinelli said it would be nice if they were written down, because he cannot remember them, and it seemed staff was making decisions. He said it would be good to take the input, and have the ability to decide on that information.

Molinelli said he would like the Board to have the ability to make determinations whether to add or not add the comments they receive.

Mancebo said they might use a “red line” draft or another method, to show deletions and editing.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.