General Info
| Health Information | Chemical
Questions
Household Questions |
Water Sources
When is
my bill due and where and how can I pay it?
Bills are due on receipt and are considered past due after the billing
date. A 10% penalty for late payment is assessed after the billing
date and is subject to disconnection. Payments can be made with cash,
check or Visa/Mastercard/Discover at The Agency Office: 12800 Ridge Road, Sutter Creek, California or at the Ione Pharmacy, 307 Preston Avenue, Ione, California.
In addition, you can pay with Visa/Mastercard/Discover over the phone by
calling (209)223-3018. Automatic payments via credit card
is
available by filling out the "Credit
Card Authorization Form" and sending it back to Agency.
Back to Top
Can I
have a payment extension?
If you do not have sufficient funds to pay your bill in full, Amador
Water Agency may offer an extension. If you need a payment extension
you will need to come in to the office. We will evaluate the situation
and if you receive an extension you will need to sign a promise
agreement to make payment by the extended date. Please call our office
representative on receipt of the shut-off notice to make an
appointment to review your account to see if a payment arrangement
will help in your situation.
Back to Top
What constitutes a "unit"
of water?
A unit, as it applies to the water rate
is 100 cubic feet of water. 100 cubic feed of water is
equivalent to 748 gallons. Therefore 1 unit equals 748
gallons; 2 units equals 1,496 gallons, etc. Much like gas and
electric meters, water meters read left to right. The water
meters used by the Agency are calibrated to measure volume in cubic
feet (12 in. X 12 in. X 12 in.). The dials of the meter read
in an industry standard of on ccf equating to 100 cubic feet or 748
gallons (one cubic feet is equal to 7.48 gallons).
If I have a
sewer stoppage what should I do?
Call the Water Agency Customer Service Department before you call
another service professional.
Back to Top
What should I do
if I think I have a leak?
Any leak between the meter and your house is your responsibility. You
may need a plumber to help you. When it is fixed call us for a
possible credit on your water bill. AWA might observe higher than
normal usage and contact you. AWA may assist by turning water off at
the meter while the repair is made.
Back to Top
Where
do I call for line locates?
Call "USA Digs" at (800) 482-8998.
Back to Top
Do we
have fluoride in the water?
No, fluoride is not available at this time. In systems of 10,000+
connections, fluoride is required by State Regulations.
Back to Top
What is our water pressure normally?
Pressures vary throughout our service area. Call the office for the
pressure at your service area. Typical newer systems have pressures
between 40 -70 psi. Back
to Top
I have a
noticeable pressure drop. What's going on?
List possible reactions.
Advise customer we are working on the hydrants and have the customer
call back if it does not improve.
Back to Top
Always remember that
the problem may be something else and may require a work order.
What would
it cost me to get an irrigation meter?
You will need to come into the office and we will be happy to
determine the cost. Irrigation water (untreated or “raw” water) is
not available in all areas.
Back to Top
How do I obtain a water or sewer tap?
You can visit our office, call for information or download the
application from this website.
Back to Top
How often is my meter
read?
Depending on your area,
most of the Water Agency's meters are read monthly. The date varies
depending on your read cycle and location. Generally between 28 and
31 days.
Back
to Top
What is the
Service Charge showing on my bill?
The service charge is intended to
collect the Agency's fixed costs. Fixed costs do not vary with
the level of sales, while variable costs change proportionately with
sales. Fixed costs are those related expenses
that generally do not vary with the volume of water used. The
components included in the fixed service charge include:
-
Source of
Supply - obtaining and strong our raw water supply.
-
Water
Transmission - costs for the Agency's untreated water
transmission system including canals and major pipelines
-
Water Treatment -
costs for treatment plant operators, State Health Fees, debt
service for plant upgrades.
-
Water
Distribution - costs associated to distribute the treated water
including storage, pumping, distribution pipelines.
-
Customer
Expense - costs associated with serving customers,
including reading meters and billing, customer service, Board
expenses, insurances and other activities
Fixed costs include salaries and benefits to
perform all the above activities by Agency personnel. System
O&M costs, debt service and fixed assets.
Variable Costs (Commodity
Charge) are variable costs that very with the amount of actual
water consumption. The components included in the variable
commodity include:
-
Energy costs for pumping
-
Chemicals used for water treatment
and general plant maintenance.
Back to Top
Can I pay my bill with my Visa/Master
Card?
Yes,
the Agency now accepts Visa, Master Card and Discover Card at the Agency Office or
you may use the card by calling (209) 223-3018. You may also
have your payment posted automatically by submitting the "Credit
Card Authorization Form", and returning it to the Agency.
Back to Top
What is a PRV?
PRV means Pressure
Relief Valve. PRVs may be required in some areas due to high
pressure. It is the property owner's responsibility to maintain the
PRV to prevent damage to the property owner's plumbing.
Back to Top
How can I get temporary water for
construction activities?
You will need to come in
or call the office for authorization and fee payment to pull water
from a metered hydrant. Unauthorized use of a fire hydrant is illegal
and considered water theft and is a misdeameanor under state law for
which the offender may be prosecuted under California Penal Code
Section 625. If you see someone drawing water from a hydrant, please
notify the office immediately.
Back to Top
Is
my water safe to drink?
If you are on the
Amador Water System (AWS) treated system, the CAWP System, LaMel
Heights or CSA 3 Camanche area, the answer is "yes". Our water meets
all the health requirements set forth by the U. S. Environmental
Protection Agency and the California Department of Health Services.
The quality of the water is monitored continuously at the treatment
plant and in the distribution system. However, isolated water quality
impairments do occur, so if you do experience a change in the quality
of water, notify Amador Water Agency at once at 209.223.3018. If you
are a raw water customer, your water is not safe to drink and you
should be using bottled water as drinking water and for domestic
household use. Please see our
Health Notice to Raw Water Customers.
Back to Top
What is the definition of "safe water"?
Water
that is safe to drink contains no impurities that would cause a person
that drank the water to become ill. Safe water contains no pathogenic
organisms or other contaminants that would render the water
non-potable.
Back to
Top
You hear a lot about tap water being unsafe, or that tap water is
getting worse. Water suppliers say that the water is safe to drink.
Who is right?
We
all want the same thing: safe drinking water. Water quality standards
are becoming stricter as scientists research the health effects of
certain materials commonly found in drinking water. The media has
helped the general public become more aware of water quality issues,
and the public is demanding more information.
If
my water is safe, why are scientists and engineers doing more and more
and more research, and why is the government considering more and
stricter regulations?
Even though our water is safe to drink for most people, it is not
entirely risk free. Producing risk free water would make water too
expensive. Government sets regulations that have an acceptable risk
(very small). Every one wants to lower this risk even further, without
adding a lot of costs. Also, researchers are looking for any new
potential problems that might be uncovered.
Back to Top
Can I tell if my water is safe to drink by looking at it, smelling it,
or tasting it?
No.
None of the chemicals or microbes commonly found in water can be
detected by these methods.
Back to Top
How
can I tell if my water is safe to drink?
If you are on your
own private well, you can have the water analyzed for impurities by a
private laboratory, or you can call the County Health Unit to see what
help might be available there. Local well drillers may also assist
you with the taking of samples and having them tested. You should take
that analysis to the Health Department for an interpretation if you
have any questions. If you are connected to a public water supply, you
can call the provider or the California Department of Health Services
or (DHS) for information about water quality. When moving to a new
area, this is something you should check out first. The Water Agency
publishes an annual report on water quality for all potable systems.
Check out the
2003 Annual Consumer Confidence Report
here.
Back to Top
What is a boil water order about?
When
a water system looses pressure due to a break or rupture in a water
line, often the water company will isolate the break, in order to
repair the line. When this happens, Amador Water Agency may issue a
boil water order as a precaution against the possible entrance of
contaminants into the system. Once the break is fixed and pressure is
restored, the water company will flush the affected system and take
samples for testing. If the samples show no coliform contamination for
two consecutive days, then the boil water order is lifted. Residents
re notified through "door hangers" or the media. Be sure to boil water
used for drinking or cooking for at least five minutes. Also, discard
your ice cubes in your icemaker. The Water Agency may also issue a
boil order if MCL’s (maximum contaminant levels) are exceeded or
routine bacteriological testing indicates the possibility of
contamination.
Back to Top
Is
my drinking water completely free of microorganisms?
No.
The water has been disinfected with chorine gas to kill all the
pathogenic organisms (germs). Most microbes are harmless.
Back to Top
What are coliforms, and what is going on?
Coliform bacteria are generally harmless bacteria that are found in
the gut of warm-blooded animals and aid in digestion. The presence of
coliform bacteria indicates that the water in unsafe to drink, because
pathogenic bacteria are also found in the intestines of animals and
humans. This is why coliforms are called indicator organisms. Their
presence or absence of coliforms in a water sample indicates whether
or not the water is safe to drink.
Back to Top
Can the AIDS virus be transferred through the drinking water?
There
is no evidence to suggest that that this is possible. People don’t get
AIDS through ingestion of the virus, only through intimate contact
with the blood. Also, chorine or other disinfectants kill viruses in
the water.
Back to Top
What is Cryptosporidium?
Cryptosporidium is a parasite protozoan that can live in the intestine
of humans and animals. Outside the host body, the protozoan becomes a
cyst, very much like a seed, with a tough outer coating that is
resistant to disinfection. Once swallowed, the protozoan emerges form
the cysts, multiplies, and may cause the disease cryposporidiosis. In
people with normal immune systems, this disease causes diarrhea and
cramping for up to two weeks. Persons with compromised immune systems,
such as people with AIDS or very young children, are at serious risk
from this disease. Cryptosporidium is not present in all source
water. Cryptosporidium has been linked to source water where domestic
animals such as cattle have direct access to the water or are in the
water shed. Filtration and disinfection remove the majority of cysts.
Outbreaks of Cryptosporidium from drinking water are rare. If you
think you are infected, you should see a doctor. Also, drinking water
is not the only vector for this disease.
Back to Top
Will home treatment device protect me from cryptosporidium?
Micro
and ultra filtration systems will likely remove the cysts, but other
systems will be somewhat effective to not at all effective. Boiling
the water will always work.
Back to Top
If I
am traveling in an area where the tap water is unsafe, what can I take
with me to purify the water?
Some
portable mechanical filters are available that purport to produce safe
drinking water a glass at a time. The best policy is not to drink tap
water when the quality is questionable. Insist on bottled, carbonated
water when traveling in foreign countries. Avoid ice cubes, jell, or
salads. Water purification tablets will disinfect the water; however,
they are useless against Cryptosporidium or Giardia cysts. Consider
boiling water if bottled water is unavailable.
Back to Top
Chemical Questions
Are
all chemicals in my drinking water bad for me?
No. Some chemicals, such as fluoride, in
controlled amounts, has been shown to be beneficial in tooth decay
prevention. Others may be beneficial, or of no effect. Water is a
chemical compound of hydrogen and oxygen. We depend on chemicals in
food to keep us alive. Drinking water contains no calories, caffeine,
fat, sugar, or cholesterol.
Back to Top
Is it
safe for a backpacker or a camper to drink water from a remote
mountain stream?
No. While these sorts of stream appeal
to our eyes, they may contain protozoans that may cause illness, such
as Cryptosporidium of Giardia, which cause cryptosporidiosis and
giardiasis, respectively. Backpackers should carry a filtration unit
and disaffection tablets to treat water collected in the wild for
drinking purposes. Of course, boiling the water vigorously for a few
minutes is a sure way to make the water safe to drink.
Back to Top
Are
chemicals that are found in water naturally (not because of pollution)
safe to drink.
Not necessarily. Some chemicals that may
be found in water naturally may be harmful, such as selenium, arsenic,
and radon. Some harmless chemicals in water react with other chemicals
and form harmful compounds. The U. S. E. P. A. requires public water
purveyors to test for 100 different chemicals, and that list is
expected to grow. If you want a current analyses of AWA’s water,
please call the office at 209.223.3018 or write to: Amador Water
Agency, 12800 Ridge Road, Sutter Creek, California 95685.
Back to Top
I
read that organic chemicals are dangerous. What are they, and why
doesn’t the water company remove them from the water?
Organic chemicals contain carbon and
hydrogen atoms linked together. Sugar is a common organic chemical, so
not all organic chemicals are bad for you. Some, like gasoline, diesel
fuel, and solvents, are carcinogens, that is, they may cause cancer.
Conventional water treatment plants typically do not remove dissolved
chemicals from the water, only particulate matter, such as bacteria
and cysts.
Back to Top
I
heard that nitrate was bad for babies and pesticides are bad for every
one. How do these get in the water supply?
The EPA has set a maximum contaminant
level for nitrates, since a high dose of nitrates has been linked with
a rare blood disorder in infants called "blue baby syndrome", because
the baby’s skin will have a bluish cast. Pesticides are organic
chemicals that farmers use against insects. Private wells are the
chief source of water contaminated with these chemicals. Nitrates may
come from fertilizers or from human or animal wastes, such as feedlots
or septic tanks. Anything applied to the land may wind up in the
ground water, as rain percolates downward to the water table.
Back to Top
Do
hazardous wastes contaminate our drinking water?
Possibly. Runoff from hazardous waste
disposal sites may contaminate the water. Leaking underground storage
tanks may cause contamination of the ground water. This is why the
government has such strict regulations for storage tanks and liners
for toxic waste dumps and gas stations.
Back to Top
How
does lead get into the drinking water?
Not all drinking water contains lead.
When household plumbing contains lead solder, and the water is in
contact with the solder for long periods like overnight), their may be
some lead that does dissolve and enter the water. This is also a
function of the corrosivity of the water. Very hard water tends to
from a scale on the walls of the pipes, and seals the solder. Lead
solder has been outlawed since 1986. Testing in Amador Water Systems
has not detected any lead or copper in the system above action levels
set by EPA.
Back to Top
How
do I get lead out of my drinking water?
Not all homes have a lead problem, but
if testing indicates you have one, or, if you have rusty water or
water leaves a blue stain in your sink, you may want to take
precautions to protect yourself and your family. The best way is to
flush the faucet or hydrant you will be drinking from for a few
minutes before using the water for drinking. The time needed will vary
from house to house; typically, you want ‘fresh" water form the public
main line.
Back to Top
Is
the fluoride in my water safe?
Yes. Naturally occurring or added by the
supplier, fluoride had been shown to greatly improve the dental health
of the consumers. Fluoride and chlorine in the water make it
unsuitable for kidney dialysis machines, however.
Back to Top
Is
the chlorine in the water safe?
Yes. The amount of chlorine typically
used by water purveyors is safe. Some people do not like the taste,
however. When Chlorine reacts with some naturally occurring chemicals
in the water, disinfection byproducts are formed, which may cause
cancer. EPA has established a maximum contaminant level for
trihalomethanes, which is a group of disinfection byproducts. AWA’s
water is under this level.
Back to Top
Should I be concerned about the chlorine in the water I use for
bathing?
No. Chlorine can’t be absorbed through
the skin, and the amount of chlorine is too small to harm the skin
itself.
Back to Top
I
heard aluminum is used to treat water. Does this cause Alzheimer’s
disease?
The Amador Water Agency does not use
aluminum to treat water. However, most surface water treatment plants
use alum or aluminum sulfate as a coagulant aid. This causes the small
particles of dirt to become larger and heavier floc, which will settle
out and be removed. Thus, very little, if any, aluminum stays in the
water. Aluminum is present in large concentrations in foods such as
tea. There is very little evidence to indicate that aluminum in
drinking water is harmful. The EPA does not regulate aluminum.
Back to Top
What
is radon and is it harmful in drinking water?
Radon is a radioactive gas found in some
groundwater supplies. Radon is formed by the natural decay of radium
and uranium. Scientists believe that long term exposure to radon
causes cancer. Most exposure to radon comes from the ground underneath
the residence through the air and into the lungs. EPA will set
standards for radon in drinking water in the near future. If you
suspect radon in your home, call the local health department.
Back to Top
Why
does my water taste or smell funny?
Taste is very subjective, but most taste
and odor problems are associated with alga or fungi present in the
water supply. Chlorine, added to the water to kill germs, may react
with organic chemicals and cause a bad taste. An earthy smell or taste
is caused by the presence of Actinomycetes (a harmless fungus) in the
raw water supply. A rotten egg odor (caused by the presence of
hydrogen sulfide) may be present in a well supply. In small amounts
these things are harmless. Point of use water treatment devices may
help the situation some. If you have a water quality problem, call the
Water Agency or your water purveyor right away.
Back to Top
What
can I do if my drinking water tastes funny?
You could store some water in a glass
container in the refrigerator.
Aerate the water with a blender or mixer.
Boil it, then refrigerate it.
Add a little lemon juice to drinking water.
Back to Top
My
well water is reddish brown. Is it safe to drink?
The chemicals in the water that cause it
to be colored are non-toxic, but not completely harmless. Iron is the
culprit usually, and can cause stains and discolorations of clothing
and fixtures. The iron is coming from the well water, or the pipes, or
the hot water heater. Water softeners can help with this problem.
Letting the water run usually lets it clear up. We recommend taking
samples to a lab for testing.
Back to Top
My
water is black. What causes this, and is it harmful?
A metal called manganese, which occurs
naturally in water, is colorless and harmless. When combined with
chlorine, it becomes black. If you have manganese, you may want to
install a filter or other point of use water treatment system.
Back to Top
Please do not hesitate to call the
Amador Water Agency if you have any concerns with the appearance,
feel, taste or smell of your water. Please call the Amador Water
Agency if your water changes from its normal characteristics.
Household Facts
Should I install a home water treatment system?
This is a personal decision. If you are
connected to a public water supply, your water already meets federal
requirements for safety. Some people do not like the taste of their
water and might consider installing a point-of entry (POE) treatment
system. However, these systems require maintenance could possibly
cause problems for you. Some types of POE’s are:
Particulate filters: these remove most
of the rust and manganese particles.
Adsorption filters: commonly called
charcoal or activated charcoal, these are not filters at all. The
charcoal attracts organic chemicals and binds them.
Oxidation/filtration systems: these will
help with iron and rotten egg odors.
Water softening/ion exchange: Exchange
ions that cause hardness for some that don’t.
Reverse osmosis: remove nitrates,
metals, and hardness ions. Produce small quantities of water.
Distillation units: boil the water and condense the steam. Remove
inorganic and organic chemicals, fluoride, etc. Takes a lot of energy
to make a little water.
Back to Top
What is hard water?
Hard water is caused by the presence of
two naturally occurring elements: calcium and magnesium. Hard water
makes it "hard", or difficult to make a lather with soap. Soft water
indicates the relative absence of hardness, and is easy to make a
lather.
Surface-water facilities are 12.1
ppm (mg/L)
Ground-water facilities range from
20 (LaMel) - 73 (CSA3) ppm (mg/L)
Classification
mg/l or ppm grains/gal
Soft
0 - 17.1 0 - 1
Slightly hard
17.1 - 60
1 - 3.5
Moderately hard
60 - 120
3.5 - 7.0
Hard
120 - 180
7.0 - 10.5
Very Hard
180 & over
10.5 & over
Amador Water System = Soft
CAWP Systems= Soft
La Mel = Slightly Hard
CSA3 Well 6 (73) Moderately Hard
CSA3 Well 9 (55) Slightly Hard
CSA3 Well 12A (63) Moderately Hard
Back to Top
Should I install a water softener in my home?
If you are bothered by gummy, curd-like
deposits in your bathtub, or a hard, white scale on your cooking
utensils, a water softener might be right for you. Many wells in the
area have hard water. Only buy from reputable dealers that will keep
your equipment serviced for you.
Back to Top
Why
do my ice cubes give off white stuff when they melt in my glass?
Inorganic chemicals such as those that
cause hardness may precipitate (form a solid, and settle out) as ice
melts. This is not toxic.
Back to Top
Should I buy bottled water?
This is a personal decision. Remember
that public water systems are under closer scrutiny by the government
than water bottlers are. Also, bottled water may cost as much as 1000
times as much as water from your local water purveyor. Check the label
carefully some of the meaningful terms are:
Artesian: Water that came from an
aquifer that is overlain with rock stratum that is not an aquifer,
causing the water to rise in the well.
Groundwater: water form an aquifer not
under the influence of surface water; water found on ground surface
such as a creek, stream, or lake.
Aquifer: Water yielding rock formations
or strata.
Mineral water: Water having not less
than 250 milligrams per liter total dissolved solids, originating from
a well.
Purified or demineralized: Water that
has undergone dome treatment to remove contaminants.
Sparking water: carbonation added.
Spring water: surface water emanating
directly from a groundwater source.
Back to Top
Is
bottled water safe to store?
No. Bottled water, like any food, has a
shelf life, especially since most bottled water has no or very little
chlorine. If you are storing water for an emergency, it’s best to use
cold tapwater in clean, plastic bottles. This water should be changed
out frequently, since chlorine will dissipate slowly, and microbes
will grow.
Back to Top
What
is the average water consumption per day per individual?
This number varies greatly due to
factors such as irrigation. It has been estimated that a person will
use 50 gallons of water per day for eating and bathing. In the United
States, the average water consumption per capita is about 180 gallons,
which includes all agricultural and industrial uses. AWA customers use
approximately 250-400 gallons per day per household on an average
day. This may double on hot days especially when irrigating or
watering lawns. If your metered water consumption rises unexpectedly,
you may have a leak. If you suspect a leak, call the Water Agency for
the methods used to determine if there is a leak or for direction on
how to check for the possibility of a leak.
Back to Top
Where
does the water go when it goes down the drain?
If you are on the community sewer
system, the water and all the waste carried in it becomes wastewater,
and travels down pipes in the collection system, to be treated and
discharged. If you are on a septic tank, wastewater goes into a septic
tank, then into a leach field, and then into the groundwater, or, it
may be drawn into the root system of plants and discharged into the
atmosphere through transpiration. Water is used over and over again
and circulates through the hydrologic cycle.
Back to Top
What
can I pour safely down the drain or into the toilet?
Before you buy, think environmentally
friendly. Buy environmentally friendly products whenever possible.
When you do buy chemicals, buy just enough. Check with the local
sanitation department about reuse or recycle centers. Read the label
for acceptable means of disposal. The best practice is to not put
anything down the sink or toilet. If you are on a septic system, don’t
put anything down the drain that will not decompose easily. Never
pour paint, paint cleaners, paint thinner, gasoline, or oils down
drains. If you have a concern or there is a question as to what can
be poured down the drain, call the County Environmental Health Agency
at 209.223.6429 or the AWA or wastewater provider in your area.
Back to Top
What
is the cost of water I use in my home?
That depends on who your water purveyor
is, but, in the U. S., the average cost of water is about $2 per
thousand gallons. Contact your water purveyor for a list of water and
sewer rates. Click here to see what Amador Water Agency charges. [link
to rate schedule]
Back to Top
Why
do hot water tanks fail?
The natural properties of water make
holes in the metal walls of a water tank. Eventually, the holes will
rust through the wall of the tank, causing it to leak and fail. Some
areas are served by hard water, which causes a hard scale to form
around the heating units, causing them to burn out. This whitish
deposit is called lime, or calcium carbonate.
Back to Top
How
should I fill my fish aquarium?
First, let a gallon or so of water run
down the drain, in case there might be some residual copper or zinc
from your household plumbing. This water could be saved for watering
plants, as a conservation measure. Next, fill the aquarium to the
desired level, making sure the water falls at least three feet into
the tank. This adds oxygen to the water. Let the water reach room
temperature before adding fish. Also, you may want to consult your pet
shop about removing chlorine from the water.
Back to Top
How
does the water department know how much water I use?
Most Amador Water Agency services are
metered; that is, there is a water meter in the line from the water
main in the street or easement to your house. All water going to your
home passes through this meter. The meter is located in a box in the
ground with a lid. If you want to read your own meter, contact Amador
Water Agency to find out your meter number, and other details on how
to read your own meter.
Back to Top
How
do I know my meter is accurately reading my water consumption?
Amador Water Agency has a program to
regularly check the meters in the system for accuracy. If you have a
sudden change in your consumption for no apparent reason (out of town,
houseguests, watering the lawn or garden) contact AWA. We are only
human and sometimes we make mistakes. Usually, when a meter fails, it
begins to run slower, not faster. A sudden increase in usage may
indicate a leak is present. Even a dripping faucet or leaky toilet
will cause a significant increase in water usage. A ½ gallon per
minute leak will accumulate 720 gallons per day or about 21,600
gallons per month. A dripping faucet could amount to 25 gallons per
day or about ½ of what a typical person uses for consumption and
bathing.
Back to Top
What
do people use the most water on?
Toilet flushing is the biggest single
use in the home. Most toilets use between 4 and 6 gallons per flush.
Not counting lawn watering, the next largest use is the bathtub or
shower. Very little is used for drinking (about 3 percent).
Back to Top
Can I
put a brick in my toilet tank to conserve water?
Yes, it is possible to save on water
consumption by displacing some of the water used for flushing. Since
bricks can crumble and damage the flushing mechanism, it’s probably a
better idea to use a plastic or glass container. Experiment to see if
the remaining volume of water will adequately flush water down the
toilet. Newer homes may have low flow toilets. Check with the
manufacturer of your toilet.
Back to Top
How
can I save water and save on my water bill?
Practice water conservation in your
home! Get everyone in your household educated on how to conserve
water. Get in the habit of conserving water. Amador Water Agency has
more information on conservation available at the office. Call us at
the office at 209-223-3018 or come by, at 12800 Ridge Road, Sutter
Creek, California.
Back to Top
Water Sources
Where
does my water come from?
The primary source of consumptive
water is the Mokelumne River which is supplied from rainfall and
snowmelt from the Sierra Mountain Range. This water is diverted from
the Tiger Creek afterbay or Lake Tabeaud forebay and then either it
gravity flows or is pumped to our treatment plants. The Agency’s two
main water systems are the Amador Water System (AWS) and the Upcountry
Central Amador Water Project System (CAWP). The Agency supplies
drinking water to the cities of Jackson, Ione, Sutter Creek, Amador
City, the communities along the Highway 88 corridor, and the Lake
Camanche area and other surrounding areas. If you are not an Amador
Water Agency customer,
call
your water purveyor to get more
details.
Back to Top
How
much water is used in America each day?
There is about 37 billion gallons of tap
water produced daily. Agriculture is the biggest user of water, using
about 200 billion gallons every day. Industrial water usage is
estimated at 160 billion gallons per day.
Back to Top
Are
we running out of water?
The amount of water on the globe is
constant. Periodic, localized shortages of water do occur. These are
called droughts. Amador Water Agency has very good water rights and
is blessed with a high quality water source – the Mokelumne River.
The Water Agency is facing infrastructure short falls. In the Amador
Water System, the conveyance system is the Amador Canal, an earthen
canal. This canal loses approximately one-half of the water placed in
it and it collects contamination along its 23 mile length. The Water
Agency has a project under way to replace the canal with a pipeline.
You can read more about this project in the Project News section of
this website. In the CAWP System, the treatment plant uses old
technology, is unreliable and its at the end of its useful life.
There is a project under way to replace the plant. Read more about
this project in the Project News section of this website.
This precious resource must be
protected! To learn how you can help, call the office, or come by,
today.
Back to Top
How does nature recycle water?
The earth constantly recycles water
through the hydrologic cycle. Water in streams and rivers, which
contain contaminants and pollutants, is warmed by the sun, causing an
increase in evaporation. Water lost through the leaves of green plants
is call transpiration. The gaseous water raises, and is cooled in the
atmosphere, making clouds. When conditions are right, the water falls
to the Earth as rain, refilling the streams, lake, oceans, and
aquifers. The processes of evaporation and transpiration purify the
water. In lakes and streams, algae and microbes eat certain
contaminants, removing the pollutants from water.
Back
to Top |
