Amador County – Amador Water Agency board of directors last week discussed capital improvement projects, and agreed that hydrants should be among the higher priotiey projects on an agency “to do” list.

Director Robert Manassero asked if they could defer bridge work. AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo said they have to run a year ahead of the bridge construction schedule, at least one of which is slated for 2013. There are three on the list.

Field Operations manager Chris McKeage said AWA is required to remove or move utilities on bridge projects in Amador City, Sutter Creek and Bunker Hill. Camanche needs water storage tank liners, along with service line replacements. He said “we will really be pushing hard on Camanche.”

Regarding fire hydrants in Camanche and Upcountry, McKeage said some need to be repaired and some need to be replaced, so they get different levels of priority. Manassero asked if they should move hydrants higher up on the priority list. Director Paul Molinelli Senior asked if they should move both repair and replacement of hydrants up the list. Mancebo said they should make all hydrants a “priority 1.”

Director Art Toy asked about the $150,000 grant that The Amador County Board of Supervisors pledged to Camanche for repairs at its system. Mancebo said Supervisors have said they will honor that grant offer as long as a rate increase for water is approved in Camanche.

In public comment, one woman asked about insurance being canceled due to hydrants. Robert Burdick said a standpipe outside his home in the Upcountry is on a 3-inch line, and it was fixed by simply putting a hydrant on it. He said AWA should hire a grant writer to help fix the system.

Paul Johnson of Pine Grove Community Facilities District said experts have told him, “you might prevent a forest fire with hydrants but you are not going to fight it with hydrants.”

Mancebo said they have grant applications filed to do replacement of distribution projects. They are also trying to see if they can get the responsibility of all the small districts placed under county oversight. He said the first step with the county is working with the County Health Department.

The 50 projects on the list included 15 that had applications for grant funding or identified grants as a funding source.

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