Willis ISD Calfee Middle School water turned on, Conroe says

New Montgomery County school has water woes

Hundreds of students enrolled at a new Montgomery County school may face delays as the year begins due to issues with water at the new complex.

CONROE, Texas - The City of Conroe says they reached an agreement with Willis ISD to get the water turned on at Calfee Middle School so inspections can be completed before the school can open next week.

According to Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough, the water was turned on Thursday morning.

Calfee Middle School water fight.

The backstory:

Time was ticking down to get the water turned on so that the new school could open on time next week. The City of Conroe said they had worked with Willis ISD since 2022 on how to obtain water service and project compliance. The city claimed the district opted not to enter into any deals, and that was part of the hold-up now.

On Wednesday, County Judge Keough posted a letter which he said showed the city was legally responsible for supplying water to the school. Without the water turned on, the judge said inspections could not be completed.

Water resolution

The City of Conroe says city and district leaders reached an agreement late Wednesday afternoon to get the water turned on and allow for the final stages of testing. Inspections will be completed, and the city says they are confident that the school will be able to open on time. Additional issues will be negotiated between the city and the district.

What they're saying:

The City of Conroe released this statement on Thursday morning, "Late Wednesday afternoon, City leaders and Willis ISD leaders were able to engage in a very productive discussion with one common goal: to get the Calfee Middle School open on time and safely. We both agreed we have no motive other than coming to a mutual understanding. After internal discussions late into the evening on Wednesday, the City has determined a path to move forward. The water to the school will be turned on, Thursday. This will allow the final stages of testing. As required, Willis ISD will engage a third party to perform backflow testing on the system. 

The City’s Fire Marshal’s Office will perform fire safety inspections. 

The City will engage a third-party inspector to issue a Certificate of Occupancy or Compliance when all testing is complete. 

The City is confident the school will open on time. The issues left on the table will be negotiated between the City and Willis ISD as authorized by the Willis ISD Board. The City will provide details of the facts of this matter at the posted City Council Meeting on Saturday at 10:00 AM. We want to thank Dr. James and the other Willis ISD representatives for coming to the table professionally and productively."