UVALDE CISD accepts donation of filtered bottle‑fillers, trustees press for maintenance plan

The UVALDE CISD Board unanimously approved a districtwide donation of chilled, filtered bottle‑filling stations and retrofit filters from Zurn Elkay after a presentation from the company.

Justin Tompkins, the Zurn Elkay representative, described a plan to replace many unfiltered fountains and to provide a three‑year supply of replacement filters. "Our filters protect against taste, odor, lead, microplastics," Tompkins told trustees, and he said Zurn Elkay would donate equipment and replace filters for three years.

Trustees pressed administrators and the vendor on upkeep and long‑term costs. Tompkins estimated an individual pro‑filtration cartridge would cost about $50 and that the highest‑capacity filters would last roughly a year. He said warranties cover major components and the company could provide local distributor support and technical assistance.

District staff said installation would be handled with local resources and that maintenance duties could be absorbed by existing custodial and maintenance staff. The superintendent said replacement filters could be budgeted in future years and that buying in bulk should reduce unit cost over time.

Board members debated the risk of taking a high‑value donation without a clear post‑donation funding plan, but multiple trustees said students deserved filtered drinking water and moved to accept the donation. The motion passed by unanimous voice vote.

Administrators agreed to return with estimates for replacement costs and a plan for ongoing maintenance prior to the end of the three‑year donation period.