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Hackberry board directs staff to seek new well, tank and filtration after repeated water shutdowns
Summary
After an emergency closure following a Petro water line break, the Hackberry Elementary School District #3 board approved directing administration to research historical agreements and request Arizona School Facilities Division funding for a dedicated well, a 50,000‑gallon storage tank and a commercial filtration system.
The Hackberry Elementary School District #3 Governing Board voted Sept. 9 to direct district administration to seek support from the Arizona School Facilities Division for a new well, a 50,000‑gallon potable water storage tank and a commercial‑grade filtration system after repeated shutdowns of Petro‑supplied water disrupted instruction earlier in September.
Superintendent Christina Ramirez told the board the district experienced an emergency shutdown Sept. 2–4 after a Petro water line break, which forced school closures and required parents and staff to be notified through ParentSquare. Most students were picked up by parents and only two rode buses home. The board considered two payroll options for employees affected by the closure and approved treating staff as working from home so hourly and salaried employees would be paid for the missed days (motion passed 3‑0).
The superintendent and staff reported past testing from 2021 indicated the presence of radium, arsenic and petroleum byproducts in Petro‑supplied water and noted some current contractor testing is limited in scope. The board said filtration equipment installed previously is outdated and replacement filters are no longer available.
Given those operational and public‑health concerns, Ramirez recommended the district formally request SFD funding for a dedicated well, a 50,000‑gallon emergency storage tank and a commercial filtration system that the district would maintain. The board approved a motion directing administration to continue researching historical agreements about the water source and to submit the formal funding request to SFD (motion passed 3‑0).
The board also discussed interim, low‑cost improvements including replacing old vanities with modern water‑bottle filling stations funded from existing authority. Members emphasized the need for reliable, independent water access for students and staff while staff pursue capital solutions and formal funding requests.
The board did not place a timeline on SFD requests during the meeting; staff were directed to report back with findings and next steps.
