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Hackberry board directs administration to seek SFD support for well, tank and filtration after water emergency
Summary
After a Petro-supplied water-line break forced school closures Sept. 2–4, the Hackberry Elementary School District #3 board unanimously directed administration to request Arizona School Facilities Division funding for a district well, a 50,000-gallon storage tank and a commercial filtration system.
The Hackberry Elementary School District #3 Governing Board on Sept. 9 directed district administration to pursue funding from the Arizona School Facilities Division (SFD) to establish a dedicated well, install a 50,000-gallon potable water storage tank and purchase a commercial-grade filtration system to reduce reliance on Petro-supplied water.
Superintendent Christina Ramirez told the board that a water-line break at Petro forced an emergency shutdown of school facilities on Sept. 2–4. Families were notified through ParentSquare, temporary porta-potties were used to support scheduled parent-teacher conferences, most students were picked up by parents and only two students rode the bus home. The board recorded that the closures disrupted instruction for two days.
Ramirez noted past testing from 2021 reported the presence of radium, arsenic and petroleum byproducts in Petro-supplied water and said current contractor testing does not cover all potential contaminants. She recommended pursuing SFD support for a new well, a large storage tank for emergencies and a commercial filtration system; she also proposed interim upgrades such as water bottle filling stations funded within existing authority.
On a motion by Pam Adams, seconded by Valerie Grimes, the board approved a motion directing administration to continue researching historical water-source agreements, document the district’s water supply history and formally request SFD funding for the well, tank and filtration system. The motion Passed 3-0.
The board also approved paying employees for the closure days under Option 1, formally recognizing staff as working from home for payroll purposes during the shutdown. The minutes record the board’s strong support for securing safe, reliable and independent water access for students and staff as the next step.
Next steps recorded by the board include continuing historical documentation research, preparing a formal SFD funding request and pursuing interim fixture replacements while long-term solutions are explored.
