For the past 15 years, some Clinton residents have been getting more than they bargained for when they turned on their water faucets - sand.
Many attempts to resolve the problem and hundreds of thousands of dollars later, Weber Basin Water Conservancy District officials are still trying to find a solution to the city's problem.Sand is sucked up from wells along with water, explained Ivan W. Flint, general manager of Weber Basin Water Conservancy District. Although sand is present in all water systems, it is usually dispersed throughout the system, so there is no noticeable sand problem.
However, most of the sand in the Weber Basin system is accumulating in Clinton because of the city's location on the network, Flint said.
The latest in a long series of efforts to eradicate the sand problem seems promising. The water district changed Clinton's connection to the system from the bottom of the network's 30-inch pipe to the top three weeks ago.
"We spent about $15,000 to $20,000 on the project," Flint said. "So far, we haven't received any complaints about the water since then, so hopefully this new measure has resolved the sand problem."
About 35 Clinton homeowners find sand in their water regularly, but only 10 to 12 homes have a major problem, said Gary Uresk, Clinton City manager. The area most affected is on 700 West between 2300 and 2050 North.
Until the problem is finally resolved, Clinton City is trying to compensate residents affected by the sand by charging them the minimum fee even if they use more water.
"People have put up with this problem for a long time," Uresk said. "It's our way of trying to make amends."
The water district intends to build a $1 million water reservoir in Roy. This should eliminate Clinton's sand problem entirely, but the project isn't scheduled for the near future, Flint said.