The ability to use the .htaccess file is controlled by the Apache httpd.conf file.
You must have 'AllowOverride' set for the folder you want to allow it to work in.
By default WAMP has AllowOverride all set but only for its own folder structure i.e. c:\wamp\www and folder below that.
If your site is a virtual host and so in another folder structure you must add that directive for that folder
for example
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerAdmin
webmaster@homemail.netDocumentRoot "D:/websrc/www/project1"
ServerName project1.dev
ServerAlias project1.dev www.project1.dev
Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
<Directory "D:/websrc/www/project1">
AllowOverride AllOrder Deny,Allow
Allow from 127.0.0.1
Allow from 192.168.2
</Directory>
</VirtualHost>