Saint Helena council hears committee plan to reduce water discoloration; residents press for drinking‑water safety and timelines

Vice Mayor Deasy convened the discussion of water quality after a presentation from the Water and Wastewater Advisory Committee on the causes of discoloration, taste and odor in Saint Helena’s drinking water.

Jay Koba, a member of the committee’s water‑quality subcommittee, told the council the town’s potable system relies on three parts — source water, a treatment plant and a distribution system — and that problems stem from inadequate treatment of raw water at the plant and from decades of accumulated solids in distribution pipelines. Koba said Bell Canyon reservoir and Stonebridge Wells provide raw water with high and variable manganese and iron; Napa supplies treated potable water. He cited peaks in raw‑water manganese as high as about 1,500 parts per billion (ppb) and said treated plant outlet values have been reduced but are not consistently below the target of roughly 20 ppb for manganese.

The committee recommended a four‑step strategy: (1) broadened analysis and monitoring to identify performance issues; (2) modify treatment‑plant operating procedures based on consultant recommendations to improve removal of iron, manganese and biological material; (3) implement continuous process control and alarm systems (SCADA) to reduce abrupt velocity changes that resuspend sediments; and (4) evaluate targeted equipment upgrades (filters at wells, duplicate critical equipment) where necessary.

Council members asked about the relationship between monitoring spikes and resident complaints posted on Grapevine; Koba said some earlier color events coincided with mechanical shutdowns and abrupt supply switches. Director Joe Leach said the city conducts door‑to‑door sampling for reported incidents, typically with about a 10‑day turnaround for iron and manganese lab results, so impacted customers can share data with health providers.

Staff and committee members described a realistic timeline: procedural changes and operational refinements that began in May are expected to continue producing improvements over the next 4–6 months; prioritized SCADA improvements could be implemented in roughly a year if funded and prioritized; and larger capital equipment projects would likely be defined in 6–9 months and require additional time to construct, with some projects extending up to two years. Council authorized about $250,000 for initial SCADA improvements in June and the CIP includes roughly $500,000 more for system‑wide work, staff said.

Residents used the public comment period to press for clarity on safety and cost. Adrian Singingolo asked whether tap water remains safe to drink and whether the city would consider rate relief or bill discounts to offset residents’ increased bottled‑water and filtration expenses. Several commenters described persistent taste and odor problems and higher household costs; other speakers praised the committee for a cost‑conscious, stepwise approach that prioritizes achievable near‑term fixes.

City staff and the committee urged continued monitoring, continued use of the consultant’s protocol changes while implementing SCADA and process controls, and ongoing flushing of distribution mains to reduce sediments. Koba emphasized the distinction between treatment‑plant improvements (which reduce metals entering the distribution system) and distribution work (which reduces resuspended sediments), saying both are necessary to reduce visible discoloration.

The council did not take formal policy action on system upgrades at the meeting but heard that staff will return with contract authorizations and project updates as recommended work proceeds. The committee and staff recommended retaining consultant support during the operational‑change phase and to help refine equipment upgrades once monitoring and SCADA improvements are in place.