Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors last week held a workshop on financial plans for two service areas, and saw through actual revenues at mid-year that water sales are at a decline.

General Manager Gene Mancebo said it was pointed out that water sales revenue was down as people used less water, for whatever reasons, and the board asked staff to look at reflecting the decline in the financial plan for the Central Amador Water Project service area. The plan would be needed to prove financial stability in seeking a federal grant and loan for a Gravity Supply Line, an untreated, pipeline that has been sought by the AWA with more than $1 million spent on the project in recent years.

The agency seeks a $5.1 million USDA loan for the project, which would replace the current electrically pumped pipeline as the primary water pipeline to the Buckhorn Water Treatment Plant, which serves CAWP customers.

The worst case estimated a GSL costing $13.9 million with three years of rate increases of 9, 5 and 3 percent. A best scenario used a GSL estimated cost of $11.9 million, with rate increases of 6, 3, and 3 percent.

The workshop also discussed a financial plan for Camanche Water District 7, and suggestions were made that the system, with four wells, could operate without repairing its Well Number 14, which has had contamination issues.

Mancebo said not fixing Well 14 would save about $30,000, but it was not exactly how he wanted to do business. Number 14 is the best-producing well, and operating without it might put stress on the other wells, he said.

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