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Residents urge Eagle leaders to oppose plan to send treated sewage into Farmers Union Canal
Summary
At a June 29 town-hall, residents pressed the City of Eagle to press Eagle Sewer District and Farmers Union Ditch Company to stop routing Class A treated wastewater into the Farmers Union Canal, citing inadequate notice, groundwater testing gaps and potential public-health and property-value risks.
Dozens of Eagle and Star residents pressed city leaders at a June 29 town-hall to act after learning that Eagle Sewer District plans to deliver Class A reclaimed wastewater into the Farmers Union Canal. Speakers said they were not notified as downstream users and demanded city intervention, baseline groundwater testing and mandatory public notice before effluent is routed through irrigation canals.
"When the Eagle Sewer District and the Farmers Union Ditch made the agreement, affected shareholders, downstream users, and homeowners were not properly notified before the deal was signed," Gina Mulhern told the council, adding the canal "was designed for irrigation, not for treated sewage." Several residents described children running through park sprinklers and families irrigating gardens and farms with Farmers Union water that could be affected.
Speakers repeatedly asked the council to send a formal letter to Eagle Sewer District (ESD) and to state agencies asking for a pause or more transparency. "Please do not allow additional development to proceed without a viable publicly supported wastewater management plan in place," Katie Sullivan said, urging the council to press for meaningful public input and disclosure.
Council members acknowledged the city’s limited statutory authority over the independent sewer district but said the city holds influence: the City of Eagle owns 10 shares in Farmers Union (a figure raised in public comment), and councilmembers pledged to gather facts, request technical briefings from DEQ and other state agencies, and explore legal options and outreach requirements the city can implement.
Residents raised technical and regulatory concerns including whether Idaho DEQ signage and buffer rules would be met, who would monitor groundwater and who would carry legal liability if contamination occurred. Several speakers encouraged incremental technical fixes such as activated carbon filtration while others demanded getting out of the contract entirely.
The mayor said staff would follow up with the Farmers Union board and ESD, gather requested documents and consider whether the city could send a formal petition or advisory vote to reflect residents' preferences. The meeting ended with a voice motion to adjourn.
