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Cloverdale Unified projects $100,000 jump in water costs; board considers summer watering reductions
Summary
Superintendent reported the district has spent about $230,000 year‑to‑date on water compared with $220,000 last year and estimates roughly $100,000 more may be spent this year; trustees discussed reducing irrigation frequency, testing a capped well and addressing past leaks.
District staff told trustees a combination of higher water rates, sewer charges tied to consumption, and isolated major leaks mean the district expects a significantly higher water bill this year.
"This year, we are going to be spending about a $100,000 more on our water bill," the superintendent (speaker 2) told the board, noting the district's year‑to‑date total was roughly $230,000 compared with $220,000 for the prior full year. He said some months spiked to about $40,000 when leaks occurred and that sewer charges add to the cost burden.
Staff described a capped well near the football field that will be retested to see whether it can provide irrigation for some sites, and suggested watering frequency reductions for summer and fall (for example moving from every other day to every third or fourth day) while preserving fields for scheduled sports. Trustees and staff also recommended evaluating plantings to reduce irrigation needs and suggested targeted communication to the public to explain conservation by design rather than neglect.
A public commenter (Dobie Edmonds) noted local yard conversions tied to state mandates and urged outreach to residents about landscape transitions.
Why it matters: Facilities and utilities are a material operating cost for school districts; with limited reserves and competing priorities, trustees must weigh short‑term savings against maintaining athletic and instructional spaces.
