District outlines water‑conservation steps and $239,000 smart‑controller plan

Jordan School District facility staff told the board on May 26 that the district is stepping up water‑conservation measures in response to low snowpack and county guidance.

Key items reported:
- Smart irrigation controllers: District has installed weather‑track smart controllers at 38 schools, with roughly 31 schools remaining to be upgraded. The estimated cost to complete the rollout to remaining sites is about $239,000; ongoing annual service costs for the installed systems are roughly $10,000–$10,500.
- Operational changes: Facilities has asked schools to avoid daytime watering, raised mower heights to reduce turf water needs, prioritized watering for sports and practice fields, and limited decorative irrigation where practical.
- Zeroscaping: Since 2021 the district has completed 56 sites of targeted turf removal and conversion to low‑water landscaping; projects are selected by school requests and facility observations.
- Maintenance and rapid response: The district keeps a dedicated electrician/mechanic on call for irrigation repairs during the summer and asks custodial teams to test systems after mowing cycles to spot broken heads.

Facilities staff said they have used discounted controller offers when available and tested competing systems (WeatherTrak and SmartRain); the district selected WeatherTrak for reliability despite higher cost in some cases. Commissioners asked whether state or county mandates legally require certain watering changes; the district said it will comply with government restrictions while balancing field usability for athletics.

What the board asked staff to do
- Finance committee to review potential one‑time use of current savings to accelerate the smart‑controller rollout so remaining schools are upgraded this season.
- Facilities to present a five‑year water‑savings report and to model expected operating savings from smart controls and zeroscaping.

Why it matters
During low‑snow years districts and municipalities balance field usability and community recreation with water restrictions and utility costs. Smart controllers and targeted landscape changes can reduce irrigation while preserving playfields for athletics, but require upfront capital and recurring service budgets.

What comes next
Facilities and the finance committee will evaluate potential reallocation of savings to accelerate the remaining controller installations and return with a schedule and funding plan.