Amador County – Amador Water Agency Board of Directors voted 4-1 Tuesday to approve $9,100 in work to redevelop Camanche Water Improvement District’s Well Number 14, while the well sits dismantled awaiting a new pump.

Director Rich Farrington voted against the move, believing that the well’s water quality might not improve with the work.

President Gary Thomas said “I don’t want to sit here and second guess a professional well driller.” Consultant Pat Dunn, president of Dunn Environmental recommended 2 days’ work on the project. Field Services Manager Chris McKeage said Dunn would use a “plunger” and a “jet action” to clean sediment from the well, and would have liked to spend two days on the project, at $3,600 a day.

To save money, AWA will handle chlorination of the well, a third process recommended by Dunn, then get about 4 hours work on the plunging and jet action from Dunn. McKeage said Well 14 was already running clear when they pulled the broken pump.

The board authorized $5,500 in repairs and $3,600 for the redevelopment, and another day’s work if needed, after Thomas recommended they give Mancebo and McKeage “some leeway to spend a little more,” depending on what happened that day. Spending the additional $3,600 would need the president’s concurrence.

AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo said for $3,600, that’s hard to beat. With AWA staff chlorinating the well the day before, the agency would get 85% of benefit for 50% of the cost. Instead of 6 hours on each process, Dunn will spend 4 hours on surging and jetting work.

Mancebo said Well 14 is west of a fault line that Dunn discovered in a groundwater study he reported to the AWA last week. McKeage said Well 14 pumps will also be replaces less deeply than the well went before. It will allow installation of a 40 horse-power pump, instead of the 60 horse motor that was there.

Farrington asked about Dunn’s recommendation to reduce gallons per minute pumping at Well 14 from 350 to 250 due to turbidity. McKeage said it was recommended to reduce it closer to 200 gallons per minute.

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