The Turlock Unified School District has reached an agreement with a turf manufacturer that could see area football players taking the field at Joe Debely Stadium much sooner than anticipated.

TUSD Superintendent Dana Salles Trevethan on Monday released an email to TUSD staff that stated the district had made a deal with Mondo Manufacturing to replace “the infill on the stadium turf while honoring the remaining two-year warranty.”  

“The work is set to begin on Sept. 6 with an anticipated completion date on or about mid-September, granted there are no additional, or unforeseeable, obstacles,” Trevethan said. “Combined efforts of TUSD and Mondo Manufacturing to resolve the situation for the benefit of student-athletes, staff, and our community are underway.”

The field at Joe Debely Stadium was shutdown to player use on Aug. 23 because it failed compaction tests. The artificial turf uses an infill that is supposed to soften the force of an impact, but the environmentally friendly material began to deteriorate much earlier than the promised 10- to 15 year life span.

The artificial turf was installed in 2010 as part of a $3.6 million modernization project of the stadium.

The potential problem first came to light in April when the field failed a compaction test by the district. It failed a second test in July by Mondo Manufacturing.

Until the work is completed Turlock and Pitman high schools will continue to play their home games at other venues. For Friday’s games Turlock is hosting Clovis High School at the Livingston High School field and Pitman is on the road against Lincoln High School in Stockton.