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Green Schools = Smart Water Management: How Three Districts Went from Water Blindness to Measurable Results
Date: September 16, 2026
Time: 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
Ballroom A
Three school districts walk through their water management story from beginning to end, what worked and what didn’t. The panel spans one of the largest districts in the nation and smaller districts running lean, some managing grounds in house and others through a landscape maintenance partner.
Each panelist explains where they started: no real-time visibility into water use, outdated irrigation systems, leaks discovered only when a large water bill arrived, and a small crew responsible for dozens of sites. Some were also under water conservation mandates or new sustainability goals.
From there: what water management technology they chose, suggestions for sourcing funding, and how they won internal approval. Then implementation and deployment, including whether they piloted one site or moved district wide, and how quickly flow monitoring surfaced leaks they would never have caught.
Finally the results. Gallons saved, dollars saved against rising water rates, plus fewer site visits, remote access and control, and finding leaks before they disrupt operations.
This session is for anyone looking for best practices and success stories around saving water. Water is the one resource many schools have no green initiative for, and most teams have no idea where to start. For most campuses the water bill is the only way to track use, and those bills arrive months later, often long after a leak or line break began.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Attendees will learn to:
- Recognize the conditions that push a district to look into water management: no real-time water use visibility, aging irrigation infrastructure, lean maintenance and operations staffing, and pressure from conservation mandates or new sustainability goals.
- Compare how each district selected water management technology, how they secured funding approval from finance, facilities leadership, and their boards.
- Weigh a single-site pilot against a district-wide rollout using real examples and see why flow monitoring proved critical for catching leaks and line breaks in real time.
- Quantify the full return on green investment: documented water reduction and cost savings against rising rates, plus labor efficiency, remote access and control, fewer truck rolls, and reduced vehicle emissions.
Moderators:
Mark Huntzinger, Regional Manager, HydroPoint
Charles Zaher, VP of Channel Sales, HydroPoint
Panelists:
Christos Chrysiliou, Chief Eco-Sustainability Officer, Los Angeles Unified School District
Representatives from Jurupa Unified School District (pending confirmation)
Representative for Menifee Union School District and Perris Elementary School District (pending confirmation)
Mark Huntzinger has been involved in the landscape and irrigation industry for nearly 50 years, serving clients across the country. With deep expertise ranging from field repairs and grove management to central control system design and implementation, Mark brings both technical knowledge and practical insights to every project. As a training course facilitator, Mark is passionate about helping others succeed by sharing the lessons he’s learned throughout his extensive career. His hands-on approach and industry perspective make his sessions both informative and engaging. Outside of work, Mark enjoys traveling, exploring great food, and spending time with his wife and three children. If you’d like to connect with Mark to learn more about HydroPoint Data Systems, you can reach him at mhuntzinger@hydropoint.com or 760.484.4907.
Charles came to HydroPoint in 2007 having spent over 35 years in the irrigation industry in sales, marketing and business development positions. He holds a Master of Science degree in irrigation and soils management from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. As the regional vice president of channel sales, Charles administers the company’s business development strategy, fosters strategic partner relationships and manages partner and distributor accounts. Prior to HydroPoint, he was employed at Hardie, Irridelco, Rain Bird, Thompson, and Signature. Charles is a frequent speaker on irrigation design, system components and water management strategies to both technical and business audiences. He recently helped raise $1 million for a major renovation project for his church. Charles also bikes, swims and plays tennis in his spare time.
