The Amador Water Agency is currently discussing a grand plan to expand the Tanner Waste Water Plant in Sutter Creek. In late 2007, the Board voted to hire a consulting firm, Stantec, to assist with the design of an ambitious new water treatment plant project. The Agency is currently in the preliminary design phase of the project In order for the plan to become a reality; the AWA has set forth specific goals that must be met, including minimizing the impacts to the Agency’s existing customers during construction and staying within a budget of 21 million dollars for initial improvements. The result would be a highly efficient and expandable membrane treatment plant. The plan also includes a gradual phase-out of the existing Ione Plant. The Tanner Plant is proposed on a 44 acre parcel adjacent to the existing plant in Sutter Creek.

The plant will initially be built to treat a capacity of 8 million gallons per day. Agency staff are designing the project to meet the more stringent California Department of Public Health regulations, as well as looking to lower long-term operation and maintenance costs. With increasingly strict energy demands throughout the state many companies have begun to pursue green energy options. Stantec, an “innovator” in sustainable designs, has applied the green design approaches to a number of other treatment projects. The Agency realizes that there are many apparent benefits for “going green” with the project, including lower energy and operation costs, more effective use of materials, and improved operability. A tentative timeline for the project anticipates the final preliminary design to be finished by May of 2008. The project will require a full environmental review process so construction is not expected to begin until late 2009.