School board looking to solve yellow water issue

By JACOB LOPEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com

Yellow water issues may soon be a thing of the past for a handful of rural SBCISD schools, according to an agenda item for a board meeting.

Pending board approval for funding, five San Benito Schools will be receiving reverse osmosis water systems in the near future thanks to recent concerns over discolored water on the campuses.

On Tuesday, Dec. 9, the SBCISD Board of Trustees discussed an action to approve the appropriation of funds for the purchase of seven reverse osmosis water systems.

According to Superintendent Antonio G. Limón, the school district decided to do something about the water’s quality.

The district wasn’t receiving more complaints, said the superintendent, but he explained “We were at a point where — even on its best days — the water wasn’t that good looking.”

“Even though it’s safe to drink, we thought we could improve how it looks and how it smells by going with this [reverse osmosis systems],” added Limón.

“We’re asking for the funding to go ahead and approve those systems,” said Limon.

In September, SBCISD issued a statement five campuses: Riverside Middle School, La Paloma Elementary, La Encantada Elementary, Rangerville Elementary and Angela Gerusa Leal Elementary were experiencing yellow-tinted water with an odor. This prompted the district to provide bottled water to students and teachers.

Limón said back then that it’s something that “happens from time to time.” And that it’s been an issue with San Benito’s rural campuses that dates back at least seven years.

Ramon Rosales, general manager of Military Highway Water Supply Corporation, which provides water to the said areas said that it was due to natural minerals in the well water supplied to the areas. He also maintains that the water is completely safe to drink.

Arnold Padilla, SBCISD board president, said that he hadn’t made the Finance Committee meeting, but planned to ask how much funding the district seeks for the water systems during the board meeting.

“Anything brought to the trustees for consideration that is a health issue for our students and our teachers, we’re definitely going to have to consider — that’s our priority …” said Padilla.

When asked about the MHWSC’s stance that the water is completely safe to drink, Padilla said “I do agree with him (Rosales). TCEQ (Texas Commission of Environmental Quality) will come in and test the water supply. It’s very possible that the water leaving the plant is good … but in some areas you end up with antiquated water lines,” he added, “but we don’t know. We’re not traveling those water lines.”

Still, Padilla said, “but it’s the transportation route that becomes questionable.”

The board was set to discuss the funding after presstime Tuesday. However, Limón said Monday morning that he expects the board will move forward with the action for funding.

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2014/12/09/school-board-looking-to-solve-yellow-water-issue/

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