In the heart of Napa Valley, St. Helena is home to world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, a historic stone-and-brick downtown and, to locals at least, brown tap water.
Some days, clear water flows from the taps in this city of about 5,250 residents between Napa and Calistoga. But other days, some residents say the water looks more like beer or Chardonnay but with less appealing attributes: Silty. Frothy. Stinky.
The problem is that naturally occurring minerals, mostly iron and manganese, have built up in the city’s aging pipes, according to city reports. Routine changes in water velocity caused by anything from maintenance projects to seasonal water changes can dislodge the buildup and transform clear water into brown swill…