Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors last month discussed membership in Sutter Creek’s Amador Regional Sanitation Authority, and directed staff to prepare information for a study of joining options. General Manager Jim Abercrombie said he “went through past files to see why past boards were reluctant to join” the ARSA Joint Power Authority. He said “ARSA was facing state scrutiny in its line of wastewater to Ione.” Some past board members recommended changes to the JPA, to avoid the “sharing of liability that we would not want to be a part of.” Abercrombie said “there is some public interest for us to bet involved to have an influence over ARSA” and its “Purple Pipe” water reclamation program, that would link regions of the county with reused water for irrigation. Director Debbie Dunn said “months and months ago,” members of the Amador County Board of Supervisors said “come and take our places” on the ARSA board. Supervisors have sought to have AWA take its place on the ARSA board since at least 2004, when supervisors discussed pulling out of the JPA, but remained when AWA would not take its place. ARSA, founded in 1978, has sought to have the AWA join since several years ago when supervisors discussed leaving the JPA, because AWA was in full control of Amador County water. AWA declined, leaving supervisors to remain on the ARSA board. Director Bill Condrashoff asked how much time and money it would take to prepare the ARSA JPA for discussion, and he asked why it had not be prepared already. Abercrombie said “right now, our main focus is trying to get grants” and “this has not been a high priority.” He said it might take about 40 hours of staff time to prepare, and said with board direction, he would have staff prepare information for the AWA board to “decide whether we are going to participate in ARSA or not.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.