Just because supporters are willing to donate $5,000 necessary to install a new eco-friendly water-heating system at Wakarusa Valley School doesn’t mean the school will be guaranteed to see the system operate for years to come.

“Their generosity may still lead to a facility that we find we can’t afford any longer,” said Scott Morgan, a member of the Lawrence school board who serves on a task force assigned to review elementary schools’ efficiencies, conditions and effectiveness. “I just want everybody to understand that this is out there.”

And that’s just fine with the folks overseeing the donation.

“We’re smart enough to figure that out,” said Bill Roth, a retired systems engineer and member of Wakarusa Valley’s Science Committee, who described the committee’s motivation as environmental and educational. “We want to go green at our school.”

With that, board members agreed Monday to accept the contribution that will finance installation of a “solar thermal hot water heating system” at the school, 1104 E. 1000 Road. A similar system entered service in June at the Douglas County Jail.

Roth expects the Wakarusa Valley system to be in place within two to three months, harnessing the sun’s heat to warm up water in a process that, in turn, will trim the need for electricity in the school’s kitchen.

Aside from obvious financial benefits, he said, students will learn that a solar panel on the roof can put “green technology” to work in their school. District officials will gather data that could spur implementing similar projects in other district buildings.

Board members were careful, however, to emphasize that they wouldn’t allow the donation to affect the thinking behind their own appointed task force — the one set to make recommendations, by February, on the sizes, conditions, efficiencies and other factors governing the cost and effectiveness of the district’s 15 traditional elementary schools.

“It’s progress. It’s moving forward. It’s energy efficient,” said Bob Byers, a board member. “(But) the installation of the solar hot water system will not be a tonic.”