The Saint Helena City Council on Dec. 9 voted to allow homeowners in the Magnolia Oaks subdivision to connect their irrigation systems to the city’s potable water supply under a defined permit and inspection process.

Assistant City Manager Leach and staff outlined the procedure: property owners must obtain a building permit (estimated fee about $230), ensure the city‑side reduced pressure principle (RPP) backflow device is certified and, if needed, have an irrigation backflow device installed and tested (testing roughly $150). The city will inspect the new piping and close the permit only after certification. Staff also proposed removing irrigation purple‑pipe meters from meter boxes and capping the pipes to protect the future reclaimed water system.

Residents urged the council to move cautiously. Celeste Neely of Magnolia Avenue said the community has struggled after the private well failed and asked the council to table action; she argued the staff report mischaracterized residents’ financial capacity and urged the city to take a more active role. “We were left with nothing,” Neely said, describing years of effort to be law‑abiding and seeking a straightforward fix.

Council members acknowledged the emotional and practical challenges and debated where legal obligations lie — distinguishing state plumbing and cross‑connection code requirements from private contractual arrangements between homeowners and the well owner. Council ultimately adopted the staff recommendation to permit connections while also directing staff to pursue abandonment of the failed well with the property owner and to explore whether the city can absorb meter removal and capping costs as a gesture of good faith.

What residents should know: the connection path requires a permit, a certified backflow prevention device on the city‑side, city inspection and closure of the permit record. Staff said many homes have existing tested backflow devices but some do not; staff will publish the permit checklist and cost estimates and return with options on absorbing meter removal costs.