Conservation, groundwater use lower HISD utility bills

To offset high local water rates, HISD uses its own groundwater wells for outdoor watering. Round Rock, Pflugerville and Georgetown ISDs do not use well water for irrigation, each district's spokesperson said. And though using well water is not a conservation technique, it keeps costs down for the district because Hutto water utility companies do not control HISD's cost of or access to groundwater, Bloxham said.

HISD also uses low-flow toilets and urinals, keeps a constant watch for plumbing leaks and has artificial turf on its main football field, Bloxham said.

"The less money we spend on electricity and water, the more money we can spend in classrooms and on teacher salaries," said Bloxham, who keeps a tally of the district's water and electricity costs on a board behind his desk. "We educate kids, so that is where the money needs to go."

Calvin Finch, director of the Texas A&M University Water Conservation and Technology Center in San Antonio, said it is not unusual for high water costs to push a school district to enact conservation measures.

The upside is that despite the expense of the water, the district and city have a plentiful supply, Bloxham said. Hutto's water is relatively expensive because of the city's binding water purchase agreements.

Hutto has signed water contracts with three suppliers—Manville Water Supply Corp., Heart of Texas Water Suppliers and the city of Taylor—that will last more than 25 years each. Hutto entered into the contracts in the early 2000s, when growth was expected to exceed its current rate. Due to binding contracts, Hutto pays for more water than it uses on a daily basis.

In addition to expensive water, HISD also has high electricity rates. The district receives its power from Oncor, but it will soon have the chance to change its contract, Bloxham said.

To keep down electricity usage the district uses low-power lights and sets its thermostats slightly higher than normal in the summer and lower than normal in the winter, Bloxham said.

The district employs energy specialist Frederick Patterson to keep watch over electricity usage and efficiency. He makes sure computers are shut down after school, thermostats allow temperatures to change when buildings are vacant and outdoor lighting is minimized. New buildings with good insulation also keep energy costs down, Bloxham said.

From June 2013 to April 2014, HISD saved about $180,000—enough to pay four teachers for a year—on its utilities because of conservation, Patterson said.

When Hutto ISD builds its next elementary school, the district may install ground-source heat pumps, which use the constant temperature of the earth to cheaply cool and heat a building, Bloxham said.