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Board directs staff to seek state support for district well, tank and filtration after water shutdowns
Summary
After an emergency closure Sept. 2–4 tied to a Petro water-line break, the Hackberry Elementary School District #3 board approved paying staff for the closure and directed administration to request Arizona School Facilities Division funding for a well, 50,000-gallon tank and filtration system.
Hackberry Elementary School District #3’s governing board on Sept. 9 approved direction to district administrators to research historical water-source agreements and formally request funding from the Arizona School Facilities Division for a new well, a 50,000-gallon potable water storage tank and a commercial-grade filtration system.
Superintendent Christina Ramirez told the board the district experienced an emergency closure Sept. 2–4 after a Petro-line break disrupted water service. Ramirez said most students were picked up by parents, two students rode the bus home, and families were notified primarily through ParentSquare. The board considered two payroll options for employees during the closure and approved a motion treating staff as working from home so hourly and salaried employees would be paid for the missed days.
The board discussed the district’s reliance on Petro for water and a history of shutdowns and limited testing. Minutes note a 2021 test that indicated the presence of radium, arsenic and petroleum byproducts; Ramirez said current contractor testing is limited and does not include all potential contaminants. Board members expressed concern about long-term reliability and water quality.
In outlining capital solutions, Ramirez recommended pursuing SFD support for a dedicated district well, a 50,000-gallon emergency storage tank and a commercial-grade filtration system maintained by the district. She also proposed interim, lower-cost improvements such as replacing older bathroom fixtures with water bottle-filling stations, funded within existing authority. The board approved the motion directing administration to continue researching agreements and to request SFD funding; the motion passed 3-0.
The board instructed staff to report back with documentation of historical agreements and a formal funding request to SFD. No construction schedule or funding commitment from SFD was announced at the meeting.
