East Bay school district hopes Measure R will fund drinking water, fix sinking classroom

BYRON, Calif. (KGO) -- Superintendent of the Byron Union School District, Crystal Castaneda, didn't think doing research on water wells would be part of her job.

"We have to run, maintain, and make sure it's always up to standard by all the codes for the state," says Castaneda.

In rural school districts like Bryon, deep in eastern Contra Costa County and surrounded by farmland, well water is Excelsior Middle School's only source of water. But the well is decades old. First, the pump broke. Then, they discovered a leaking pipes.

"We are seeing a lot of additional new holes coming in. And the well is deteriorating and caving in on itself. So, that well has been deemed no longer a good source for water," explains Castaneda.

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The water is safe for students to wash their hands. But not safe to drink. There is bottled water for students and re-fill stations around the middle school campus. A new water well will cost upwards of $1 million - a huge amount for a small district. So, on the ballot is Measure R, a school bond measure that would raise $24 million for improvements.

"This is a time where it makes sense for us to go forward because of the need," says Castaneda.

But it's not just money needed to fix Excelsior's water well. Some of the buildings at the district's three schools are 40 years old. One classroom is sinking and the door has to be trimmed regularly so it can open and close. Measure R money will help to modernize classrooms, improve technology and beef up security measures.

Those who opposed Measure R, like the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association, are concerned about the millions of dollars debt the district is currently holds from the previous bond measure.

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But parents like the Kelley and Ryan Crow, who have daughter who attends Excelsior, say these students need a better education.

"This is crazy! We are about an hour away from our capital and this district doesn't have water for this school," says Ryan.

They don't like the idea of more taxes. However, they point out that it would cost residents just under $200 annually for those living in homes over $800,000. And, they feel that Measure R has the necessary oversight built in to make sure there is accountability.

"It has to pass or (the students) won't have clean water, the school will continue to sink and the roof will leak. I don't know what we will do if it doesn't pass," says Kelley.