Pine Grove – The Amador Water Agency board of directors ceremoniously broke ground last month on a $370,000 sewer system expansion project at the Gayla Manor subdivision near Pine Gove. The project will build a new community leach field, “expand Gayla Manor’s overtaxed wastewater system’s capacity, and satisfy the requirements of the Regional Water Quality Control Board,” said AWA Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo. He said the “Gayla Manor wastewater treatment system has been out of compliance since 2003, when state regulators tightened wastewater storage and disposal requirements.” The new leach field will be built on a 3-acre parcel, which was a former Gayla Manor common area. The Gayla Manor Homeowners Association provided the land to AWA at no cost in recognition of the system benefits along with construction of some road and storm drain improvements in the subdivision. AWA crews will start site work in November. Construction of the new leach field will take place next spring with a completion deadline of October 15, 2010. The groundbreaking ceremony was held October 22nd was possible because AWA was awarded $367,612 of federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding to pay for design and construction of the new leach field. Representatives from the California Department of Water Resources, Erin Ragazzi and Ibyang Rivera, attended and helped with the golden shovels. In attendance were all 5 AWA directors, including President Terence Moore, Vice President Bill Condrashoff, and directors Don Cooper, Debbie Dunn and Gary Thomas. Also attending were Mancebo, Financial Services Manager Michael Lee and, Interim Engineering and Planning Manager Erik Christeson. Also October 22nd, at its regular meeting, Mancebo said the AWA board approved $20,000 in emergency reserve funds for grading to correct a storm water runoff problem near the Buckhorn Water Treatment Plant backwash pond. The action was taken “before the onset of winter rains.” Storm water diversion improvements were made at the backwash pond, at the Mace Meadow Golf Course, during the summer of 2007. Mancebo said: “Since that time someone unknown to the agency moved earth near the backwash pond, altering the grade near the pond and putting the agency in jeopardy of being fined by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. The board was to meet twice today, including a 10:30 a.m. dedication of the Plymouth water pipeline, in Plymouth. The AWA board also holds a special public hearing on Wastewater Improvement District Number 1 rate increases at 6 p.m. today at the AWA office. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.