Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors approved annexation of East Bay Municipal Utility District property to its Camanche Water Improvement District Number 1 last week, while acknowledging that one of the wells there has been turned off due to foreign material getting into the well.

General Manager Gene Mancebo said Well Number 14 is off-line for testing, and they “cannot speculate on what’s going into the well,” but “it could be a localized problem.”

Engineering Manager Erik Christeson in a staff report said the East Bay Municipal is waiting for finalization of the annexation to turn on the water. Director Gary Thomas said the water that they are now looking at in Camanche Well 14 is “scary,” and they “now have lemonade for water.”

Mancebo said they are working on water and wastewater solutions with the East Bay Municipal Utility District on the annexation, which would be used as the home of the “Camanche Hunt Club.” The report said “staff has determined there is sufficient capacity to serve this request, and the board initiated annexation proceedings on Sept. 7.”

East Bay Municipal had paid “all necessary fees associated with the annexation request.”

Mancebo said Mike Wallace of East Bay Municipal told him he was interested in “looking at long-term needs there,” and Mancebo is following up with Wallace on that offer.

Director Terence Moore said “Well Number 14 is too good a well to walk away from,” despite problems there. Well 14 is off-line, and Well Number 9 at Camanche is supplying the bulk of the water.

Christeson said Number 14 produces water at a rate of 500 gallons a minute, while “Well 9 is the workhorse,” and supplies water at 1,700 gallons a minute.

The requested annexation included 83.53 acres of property for the Camanche Hunt Club, and sought water service to the property for four equivalent dwelling units. East Bay Municipal already had paid district participation fees of $48,700, and a connection fee of $375.

The public hearing included no public comment, and the board approved the annexation 5-0. Per an accompanying resolution, the annexation became effective immediately upon approval.

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