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Hackberry board seeks state help for new well, storage and filtration after emergency water shutdown
Summary
After a Sept. 2–4 shutdown caused by a water line break at Petro, the Hackberry Elementary School District #3 board approved paying staff for closure days and directed administrators to seek School Facilities Division support for a new 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 administrators to pursue support from the Arizona School Facilities Division (SFD) for a district-dedicated well, a 50,000‑gallon potable water storage tank and a commercial-grade filtration system after a Sept. 2–4 emergency shutdown caused by a water line break at Petro.
Superintendent Christina Ramirez described the disruption and the district’s communications with families, saying most students were picked up and that ParentSquare proved more efficient than traditional phone calls. The board voted, 3-0, to recognize staff as working from home for the closure days and to pay hourly and salaried employees for that time; the motion to approve this payroll approach was moved and seconded in open session.
Board members and staff also discussed water-quality concerns tied to Petro-supplied water. Minutes reference a 2021 report that identified radium, arsenic and petroleum byproducts in the water supply and note that some current contractor testing does not include all contaminants. The board acknowledged that historical agreements identifying Petro as the water source appear unclear or undocumented.
As interim measures, the superintendent proposed replacing outdated bathroom vanities with modern water bottle filling stations using existing authority. The board then approved a motion directing administration to continue researching historical agreements and documentation and to formally request SFD funding for the proposed well, tank and filtration system; that motion passed 3-0.
The board’s actions leave the district positioned to seek capital support from SFD while pursuing interim improvements. The board did not set a timeline for SFD requests in the minutes; administration was directed to continue research and prepare the formal requests.
