Remote Surveillance Trailer in St. Helena, CA

St. Helena’s drinking water just exceeded a key state standard for a class of disinfection byproducts, and the city’s aging control system picked the worst time to glitch. With remote monitoring down, a three‑person crew has been hustling to the plant for every alert, sometimes more than 100 alarms in a single weekend, piling up overtime as repairs get underway. Officials say there’s no immediate safety threat, but the ordeal lays bare years of deferred upgrades at the treatment plant.

According to the city’s public notice, test results received Oct. 7 showed the system exceeded California’s maximum contaminant level for HAA5 with a 12‑month average of 72 parts per billion, above the 60‑ppb state limit. The mailed notice, sent Nov. 5, tells customers they do not need an alternate water source and that the exceedance is not an immediate threat; it also cautions that long‑term exposure at elevated levels “may have an increased risk of getting cancer,” per the City of St. Helena.

A failing computer knocked out the plant’s Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition system, stripping operators of remote views and control and leaving only basic alerts. The result: staff had to drive in for each alarm, in bursts that recently topped 100 in a single weekend, which drove up overtime and tested the small crew’s stamina. The city council moved quickly: at a special meeting on Monday, it approved a $67,200 SCADA upgrade to restore remote capabilities and detailed alarms, according to the Napa Valley Register.

SCADA systems pull real-time data from plant sensors, generate granular alarms, and let operators adjust pumps and chemical feeds without needing to drive to the site, the kind of tools that cut unnecessary trips and speed up troubleshooting. Integrators who work on municipal systems say upgrades typically restore remote control and richer diagnostics, allowing staff to decide when an on-site visit is truly needed, thereby reducing overtime and risk, as explained by Telstar Inc.

Haloacetic acids (HAA5) form when chlorine used for disinfection reacts with natural organic material in source water. The federal and California maximum contaminant level for HAA5 is 60 micrograms per liter (approximately 60 parts per billion), according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which notes that long-term exposure above this level may increase certain cancer risks. Regulators assess compliance using 12‑month running averages.

The city states that operators are adjusting treatment processes, have hired an engineering firm to evaluate disinfection-byproduct formation, and have mailed a notice to customers describing the exceedance. Officials also say that urgent repairs to aging infrastructure, including the newly funded SCADA replacement, are part of a short-term plan to stabilize operations and curb overtime, according to the City of St. Helena.

California requires public notification and coordination with the Division of Drinking Water when systems exceed primary drinking water standards. The State Water Resources Control Board offers templates and guidance for those notices, which the city followed while it worked on treatment adjustments and the SCADA fix, per the State Water Resources Control Board.

For now, officials say there’s no need for bottled water. Residents who notice discoloration, taste, or pressure issues are encouraged to report them so crews can pinpoint and address problems. If all goes to plan, the upgrades should cut the late‑night callouts and give operators better tools to keep the water safe and reliable while longer‑term capital work moves forward.

Two dominant backs in Julian Earls and Cayden Waldrop are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The St. Helena Saints will be playing in front of their home fans against the Sonoma Valley Dragons at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with St. Helena sitting on ten straight wins and Sonoma Valley on nine.

On Friday, St. Helena beat Upper Lake 23-12. Given the Saints' advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 338th, while the Cougars are ranked 977th) , the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

The critical scores for St. Helena came from Earls, Latif Basile, and Eric Torres.

St. Helena was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 204 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 189 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Sonoma Valley). They simply couldn't be stopped on Friday as they easily beat Healdsburg 70-6. The result was nothing new for the Dragons, who have now won six games by 34 points or more so far this season.

A big part of Sonoma Valley's victory came down to the chemistry between Dalan Lopata and his top target Johnny Campbell. Lopata threw for 290 yards and four TDs on only 19 passes while Campbell picked up 140 receiving yards and a pair of scores. That's the most passing yards Lopata has posted since back in October of 2024.

Special teams was a major factor in the game for Sonoma Valley, racking up 14 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Chuy Ordaz, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.

St. Helena's win bumped their record up to 10-0. As for Sonoma Valley, their victory bumped their record up to 9-1.

Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. St. Helena has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 258.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Sonoma Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 209.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other football content.

Two dominant backs in Cayden Waldrop and Julian Earls are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Sonoma Valley Dragons will take on the St. Helena Saints at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Sonoma Valley knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with 31 points or more in their past eight matchups -- so hopefully St. Helena likes a good challenge.

Sonoma Valley is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They breezed past Healdsburg to the tune of 70-6 on Friday. The Dragons have beaten the Greyhounds the last four times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Greyhounds has come to flipping the script.

Sonoma Valley had a senior duo take command as Dalan Lopata threw for 290 yards and four TDs on only 19 passes and Johnny Campbell picked up 140 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. Campbell's longest reception was for an impressive 62 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per catch total.

Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Sonoma Valley proved: they limited Healdsburg to a paltry 1.5 yards per carry. The team can thank Brendan Wroblewski for the heroic effort on defense: he. Sonoma Valley didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 11.8.

Special teams played a big role in the game for Sonoma Valley, adding 14 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Chuy Ordaz, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.

Meanwhile, St. Helena beat Upper Lake 23-12 on Friday. Those 23 points were actually the fewest the Saints have put up all season, but given the result they're probably not too concerned.

The critical scores for St. Helena came from Earls, Latif Basile, and Eric Torres.

Sonoma Valley's record is now 9-1. As for St. Helena, their record now sits at 10-0.

Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Sonoma Valley has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 209.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like St. Helena struggles in that department as they've been averaging 258.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.