Volunteers Go Door To Door Collecting Water Samples In Sandy

SANDY, Utah – The no drink order may be lifted, but the water testing is far from over. A total of 2,800 homes are being tested after Sandy City had a major water contamination that made some sick, including a baby.

Since about 9 a.m. Monday, volunteers have been knocking on doors asking residents in Sandy City to test their water. They want to check the water after high amounts of acidic fluoride washed dangerous amounts of lead and copper into homes.

Groups of twenty and teams of two were deployed from Sandy City after a quick training on what to say and how to conduct the sample.

Volunteers were told to first ask permission to do the sample. Then they should actually go inside the home to collect water from the kitchen tap as long as no flushing has been done that day.

Volunteers going door to door testing water at homes impacted by high amounts of fluoride, lead and copper in Sandy city. Here’s what they will be doing. @KSL5TV #KSLtv #noon pic.twitter.com/moDwF6mWPm

— Felicia Martinez (@FeliciaNews) February 18, 2019

Over the weekend, the drinking order was lifted for the 2,800 homes affected. Bottled water is still provided by they city if residents want it.

“Well, we’re not happy about it, of course, but we learned about it I think on the 6th day of February… and here it is.. what the 18th… and just now getting samples taken. So yeah, we were drinking some of the water over that period of time. Seems to me it should have been handled earlier than what it has been,” said Don Bolerjack, whose water was tested today.

“Some of the residents are very angry over this,” said Sandy resident John Fowler.

Fowler lives near the pump house where the problem originated and worries if the high levels of corrosive fluoride permanently damaged the pipes in his home.

“I would not buy a house in one of these 50 houses as long as I knew what had happened,” he said. “I just wouldn’t because I’d be nervous that the pipes were corroded. We don’t really understand all the issues.”

Other neighbors echoed the same concern.

“If the fluoride has eaten off the coating inside the pipes, that’s going to permanent damage,” David O’Bryant, who also lives in the neighborhood where the undiluted fluoride was most potent.

O’Bryant asked the city to test his water again on Monday after he noticed large amounts of sediment.

“Immediately it was just brown,” he said of the water flowing from his home’s faucets. “Every sink was just coated with sediment.”

Sandy City officials said they don’t believe the damage to pipes is permanent but that residents with ongoing issues can file a claim with the city, according to Deputy Mayor Evelyn Everton.

Each volunteer team paired up and went out with 20 bottles to collect samples. With some people not being home, they may not collect samples from each home and will revisit.

If you have questions about your water following the Sandy City contamination, direct all concerns to the city hotline at 801-352-4421. More details on efforts being made today at noon on @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/Q0obvqnif5

— Felicia Martinez (@FeliciaNews) February 18, 2019

For those residents who may not be home to receive their water sample they can here to request their test for a time that is more convenient for them.

The city said the lab results are being expedited. They typically take a month, but the city is working to have the turned around within a week or so give or take.

Residents with concerns or question can call the city’s hotline at 801-352-4421.