CCSD work session weighs water savings, safety and health concerns of artificial turf conversions

Clark County School District staff and community stakeholders discussed the district—-month artificial-turf conversion program at length July 2, with Southern Nevada Water Authority officials emphasizing water savings and district staff and principals describing field-condition improvements while public-health and conservation advocates warned of heat, particulate and disposal risks.

Assistant Superintendent Brandon McLaughlin reviewed the district—-year program streams: nonfunctional turf removals (driven by state law), conversion of high-school football fields that began about 2020 for athlete safety and water savings, and a later phase for baseball, soccer and softball field conversions. McLaughlin said the board previously approved interlocal agreements with SNWA on Sept. 14, 2023 that included approximately $21 million in SNWA rebates tied to completion of projects. He said the district has completed conversions at Laughlin, Moapa Valley, Virgin Valley, Legacy High School, Desert Pines, A Tech and East Career & Technical Academy with roughly $36 million of improvements to those campuses.

McLaughlin said 26 projects are active (design, bidding or construction) representing about $22 million in current expenditures and another nine schools have design and permitting…