An Eagle neighbor says his tap water has appeared yellow, orange, and at times brown for more than a year and he wants answers about what is causing it and whether it is safe to use.Steve Elder has lived in Eagle since August 2 017. He said the discoloration is not constant but has been a persistent problem affecting not just his home but other homes up and down the streets in his neighborhood."It's off and on, so it's not the same color every day, but it's discolored nonetheless," Elder explained. WATCH | Hear from an Eagle neighbor who says this problem has persisted for more than a year Eagle neighbor says tap water has been discolored for more than a yearHe said the discoloration shows up at every faucet in the house including the kitchen and is visible when filling a filter pitcher. He said the color cycles through yellow, orange and brown depending on the day, clears up temporarily after flushing, and then returns.Elder said he has called Veolia, his water utility company, multiple times he estimates at least three or four times, possibly more. Each time, he said, the response has been the same: someone comes out, flushes the system and tells him to call back if it continues.ALSO READ|Eagle neighbors pack City Hall to voice concerns over controversial wastewater agreement"At one point, one just gets tired of calling because there's a problem. They know it, we know it. They're not addressing it," Elder said. "Their band-aid is nothing more than sending somebody out to flush it."He said during his most recent contact, he was told someone would come to his home to speak with him but no one came. He later received an email suggesting someone had visited, which he said was inaccurate.Elder said he was also told the water in his area is drawn from three wells, and said if one of those wells is the source of the problem, the company likely knows which one it is.His larger concern goes beyond the color."Where is it coming from?" Elder questions. "Is there a break in the system somewhere where you have groundwater leaching into the pipes and carrying it with the miscolor from clay soil, or is it poisons and stuff that are in the soil that's leaching into there? Is it rust? Is it a combination thereof?"He said being repeatedly told the water is safe over the course of more than a year has made it hard to take that assurance at face value."You have a hard time believing that," Elder said.He said many of his neighbors most of whom are retirees who moved into the neighborhood about nine years ago are experiencing the same issue but are reluctant to speak up or get involved. He said some neighbors report clear water on some days and discolored water on others, and that the problem appears to be widespread throughout the area.In a statement to Idaho News 6, Veolia provided the following response in full:"We appreciate the customer raising their issue to our attention. We monitor our system 24/7 to ensure adequate pressure is available for customer demand and fire fighting needs. We also monitor each raw water source to ensure water quality meets all DEQ regulatory requirements before the water enters our system. The water serving the location in question has naturally occurring minerals in it, which is creating the discoloration. The mineral levels in this neighborhood are within DEQ regulatory parameters.As a result of this customer query, we have incorporated flushing in addition to making modifications as to how we are operating our water system in this area, which has helped with the discoloration issue. Veolia responds to customers calling in with concerns or issues with instruction over the phone or email, or sending an employee out to check the issue. Sometimes there is a short-term fix, like flushing our water pipe to move any naturally occurring mineral out of the system via a fire hydrant. Other issues require a longer-term solution. While we are implementing these immediate operational changes I mentioned above, we are actively investigating longer-term solutions that will take time to plan and implement. Once a long term solution is decided upon and planned, Veolia will notify affected customers in advance of the work that may impact their service lines.During peak flows, like the current high summer demand of 85-90 million gallons of water a day, we need to use all water sources available. And this naturally occurring mineral may reappear if customer demand warrants leveraging all water sources. Veolia remains committed to providing drinking water that meets all regulatory obligations 24/7 to our customers.The discoloration in this area began early last week. As customers have called in, we have educated them on what is occurring and the actions we are taking operationally to mitigate the issue.Please do know that discoloration happens from time to time, from the naturally occurring minerals within the water. With how 'hard' our water sources are coming out of the mountains into our valley mineral content can fluctuate. That's why we monitor water quality, to stay within the DEQ regulatory parameters. There are strict parameters in place for water quality at both the federal and state level after all, as humans we cannot live without it and we take our responsibility very seriously. We have since our company was founded in 1890 as Artesian Hot and Cold Water Company, in downtown Boise."Elder said he is not satisfied with that response. He said filtering the water may not even be a reliable solution given that the nature and extent of the problem remain unknown."We don't know what we're dealing with, and we don't know the degree of the problem or how poisonous it is," Elder said. "We just don't know at this point."He said his goals are simple; he wants confirmation that the water is safe and that he intends to keep pushing until he gets answers."I want the water cleared up," Elder said. "I wanna see clear water like it's supposed to be." ...read more read less