AMERICAN FORK — Reed and Laurel Jensen have a bubbling stream of crystal clear water running inside and alongside their new home.
The problem is: Their home plan doesn't include an indoor mountain stream — especially one that requires the daily pumping of 29,000 gallons of cold water through a basement window well and into the street.
"We filled a five-gallon bucket in 15 seconds," said Laurel Jensen, looking around at the debris and sandbags in her usually tidy home.
And it's been more than a week since it started.
"What it is, is a huge waste of water," said Reed Jensen.
The Jensens live in the 1000 East block of 390 North in the Stone Hollow subdivision in American Fork. They bought their home three years ago and, up to now, have loved living just below the Mt. Timpanogos LDS Temple.
But over a week ago, when Reed Jensen came home about 11 a.m. after working that morning at the temple, he stepped onto basement carpet that was floating away from the floor.
Today, a make-shift pipe system takes the gushing water out the window and to the street.
"The whole north wall of my basement was flooded," he said. "Fortunately we were able to save the carpet. We just lost a few valuables because everything was mostly up high, but we're looking at $10,000 for pumps, excavation and repairs."
The Jensens have talked to their builder who says it isn't his responsibility, and officials from American Fork City say they aren't to blame either.
City Administrator Melanie Marsh said if the subdivision was approved with conditions that weren't met, the liability would probably rest with the builder.
The Jensens have learned their builder was told to lay in a 4-inch drainage pipe around their property and put down 4 inches of gravel before he poured the foundation. The water table in the area is known to be high and yet the house is 2 feet lower in the ground than recommended, said Laurel Jensen.
Jay Minnick, a representative for Miller Development, said company officials are not nearly as concerned about who is right and who is wrong as they are about resolving the situation.
"What we want to be clear about is that we want to resolve the problem so the Jensens can get back to enjoying their home," Minnick said Thursday.
Minnick said Miller Development is "paying for everything" connected with the flow of water.
"As you can imagine, we're all of us just trying to find the answers here," Minnick said.
The Jensens think their water woes could be related to the heavy rains and high runoff but also to the history of the area.
"I talked to some old-timers who just laughed at us, old-timers who've told us this used to be a marsh," Laurel Jensen said. "I think the people buying and building here need to be aware."
The Jensens say they have several neighbors who also have some water in their basements, but no one else has nearly as much.
The Jensens are retired and on a fixed income and say their homeowner's insurance precludes water damage that results from unusually high spring runoff.
"We're just sitting here thinking, 'Help!' " Laurel Jensen said. "We can't sleep at night. We have to keep getting up to check the pumps. It's depressing, especially after seven days."
E-mail: shaddock@desnews.com