By Jim Reece -

Members of the Amador Water Agency board of directors and staff joined board members of the Lake Camanche Village Owners Association in dedication of the new Well Number 14 at the end of Village Drive Wednesday. AWA Board Chairman John Swift and District 1 Board Member Madonna Wiebold attended the dedication of the well, which produces 340 gallons a minute. AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie said the well will improve water reliability and delivery capacity in the Lake Camanche Village system by 40 percent. Engineering Manager Gene Mancebo said the well was drilled to about 200 feet and has its pump at about 180 feet. The well has mechanisms for injecting chlorine treatment if needed and attachments for sampling and testing. The well pumps to a pipe that can feed the Camanche system directly or pump to the old 120,000-gallon redwood storage tank on a nearby hill, next to Well Number 9, across a field from the new Well Number 14. Mancebo said the land for the new Well 14 was given by developers and the well and well house. The water’s purity helped state health regional director Joe Spanos approve Well Number 14 for new water customer hook-ups, about 20 per year. Mancebo said the approval was not huge but would be a good economic stimulus. Ken Hazelet, president of the Lake Camanche Village Owners Association thanked the agency, AWA staff and board members. Also attending were LCV Owners Association Board members, Vice President Brad Pinnell, Secretary Scott Tippin and Angela Centini-Field.