Resident warns board Diablo Grande water failures could cost district students and revenue

Randy Philpott, a Diablo Grande resident and former superintendent, told the Newman‑Crows Landing Unified School District board on April 14 that a longstanding water-system problem in the Diablo Grande development is larger than residents had thought and threatens local student enrollment.

"We have 200 students up there. And if you lose 200 students, that's about 3 and a half million dollars of revenue every year," Philpott said during the board's public‑comment period. He said the current strain on water service is not primarily unpaid bills but stalled development after some developers went bankrupt, leaving the water district undersized for the population.

Philpott said he had recently notified Superintendent Pruitt and that Pruitt arranged a meeting with Assemblyman Juan Alanis. "They kind of bring the attention to this issue," Philpott said, adding that the matter involves the State Water Resources Control Board and a complex state bureaucracy. He asked the district to support legislative or state‑level assistance to retain students and avoid potential school closures.

Why it matters: The district's per‑pupil funding depends on enrollment. Philpott framed the issue as both a student‑welfare problem and a budget concern for the district, noting that displaced families might remain in the district’s count but require transportation if they live outside district attendance areas.

Board and staff context: Superintendent Pruitt later told the board she had traveled to Sacramento and met with state staff and Assemblyman Alanis to raise the residents' concerns. Pruitt said district and state officials were "scrambling to try to find a solution" and emphasized that the situation was not the residents' fault. The board heard the comment during the public comment period; no formal action or vote on Diablo Grande was taken at the meeting.

Details and claims: Philpott described the revenue impact as "about 3 and a half million dollars" annually tied to roughly 200 students; the district did not present independent enrollment‑or‑revenue calculations during the meeting. Philpott characterized the governing authority for the technical fix as the State Water Resources Control Board.

Looking ahead: Philpott asked for the board's support in working with state legislators and state water agencies. Superintendent Pruitt said she and other district staff had contacted state officials and local stakeholders; she did not announce any binding commitments or a timeline for state action during the meeting.