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Show PAGE 11 THE ZEPHYR AUGUST 1995 Also, groundwater studies previously done in Utah and Tooele Counties by the USCS found some areas where groundwater was being polluted by septic leachate where surface soils theoretically should not have allowed leachate to drain downwards. So much for theory; remember how nuclear energy was going to create "electricity too cheap to meter?" The "Big Picture" got into this because my perspicacious wife, LaRue, asked whether all the development on septic tanks in the south end of Spanish Valley might pose a threat to groundwater. Some time, two geologists, and four hydrologists later, it was obvious that it might. One of the hydrologists dug up the Sumsion data from 1968-6which had been mouldering in a file. The expression, "Oh, shit, suddenly became meaningful on new levels. The observations and recommendations of the various geologists and hydrologists were used to justify the requirement for new subdivisions to be on sewer in the Grand County Subdivision Ordinance; and to support the funding packages for the Spanish Valley Water and Sewer DistrictSewer Plant upgrades and the USCS Clean Water Act groundwater study. Funding has been ' committed for both. At this writing, the Spanish Valley W&SCD is waiting for the third of its three funding sources to actually get the money in its next funding cycle to disburse as committed for the sewer expansion. Spanish Valley W&SCD expected to start building sewer in June, ran into this hitch, and are now hopeful they can start work in October. If you'd like to sec a map of the system expansion. Dale Pierson has one at Spanish Valley W&SCD on Spanish Trail Road, and Mary Hofhine has another at the Planning Commission Building Inspector office in the Courthouse. The USGS hoped to start their undeiground water study in July, but at this writing are working on resolving a technical problem with water sample analysis. They hope to be underway in August. What are the implications of these projects to individual landowners and developers? The County's requirement for sewer hookup applies only to new subdivisions. Within a year from October, there should be no private land in Spanish Valley which doesn't have sewer service available, so the requirement would not forestall any developments. Thus far, the restriction has caused few problems with subdividers. Individual landowners with parcels of record as of the time the new Subdivision Ordinance was passed in September, 1994, arc unaffected by it. Spanish Valley W&SCD has required for years that, when a sewer is within 300 feet (and downhill) of your property line, you are obliged to buy a connection and are thereafter billed for sewer service every month, connected or not. People with septic tanks who buy sewer hookups decommission their septic tanks and use sewer sooner or later, often motivated to switch when a septic tank problem occurs. If the USCS groundwater study finds serious septic pollution of groundwater in southern Spanish Valley, then we could have the State Water Board and State Health Department restrict or eliminate septic permits in the critical area. I am told this has happened in Utah. The first stage of such restriction is for the State Health Department to deny any issuance of septic tank permits in the critical area; the local Building Inspector correspondingly will not issue a building permit for any facility lacking a sewer hookup. If this stops development in an area, state regulations provide the highest priority to providing funding to get sewer to the area. Under extreme conditions, existing septic permits and tanks could be condemned; this has not occurred. We are also working to get sewer service extended across the San Juan County line into southern Spanish Valley, where some six different subdivisions (that I know oD are approved and in different stages of development. Preferably, this would occur through the rest of Spanish Valley being annexed into the Spanish Valley W&SCD's service area; conservancy districts are not limited by county lines. The issue of protecting groundwater from pollution and correcting problems in Spanish Valley has been characterized by consensus and straightforward n problem-solvin- g activity. 1 am confident we will proceed on a logical, basis (albeit spurred by intuition). 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