Residents are invited to water well screenings and results meeting
The Texas Well Owner Network, TWON, is hosting an upcoming event in the South Plains on September 16-20 to allow residents to have their well water screened.
Joel Pigg, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist, College Station, said the Texas Well Owner Network program is for Texas residents who depend on private wells for their household water needs.
“The TWON program was established to help well owners become familiar with Texas groundwater resources, septic system maintenance, well maintenance and construction, and water quality and treatment,” he said. “It allows them to learn more about how to improve and protect their community water resources.”
Water samples will be screened for contaminants, including total coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitrate-nitrogen and salinity and in some counties arsenic.
Water sampling and meeting information
The following schedule will be for sample drop-off:
Water collection sampling materials can be picked up at Terry or Yoakum County AgriLife Extension offices, SLUWCD, or SPUWCD AFTER September 4th and BEFORE September 17th.
Yoakum and Terry County residents will have sample drop offs at the local County Extension office or UWCD between 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 17th.
The following schedule will be for educational presentations. These will be one-hour programs that cover well head protection, water quality issues and results from the water samples. Terry and Yoakum Counties: Thursday, September 19th, 6:00 p.m. at Coleman Park Party House, 101 Park Road, Brownfield.
Sampling instructions
Pigg said area residents wanting to have their well water screened should pick up sample bags, bottle and instructions from the local AgriLife Extension office or GCD office before the date of the event. There will be a $15 per sample charge for this water well screening and you may bring as many samples as you would like. If you reside within the boundaries of Sandy Land UWCD or South Plains UWCD, contact them when collecting sampling materials to see if the District is covering the sample costs locally.
“It is very important that only sampling bags and bottles be used, and all instructions for proper sampling are followed to ensure accurate results,” he said. Samples should be collected no earlier than 24hrs prior to testing. Collecting just immediately prior to testing is best.
Private water wells should be tested annually, he said. The samples will be screened for contaminants, including total coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitrate-nitrogen, salinity and in several of the counties arsenic.
Pigg said it is essential for those submitting samples to be at the appropriate follow-up meeting to receive results, learn corrective measures for identified problems and improve their understanding of private well management.
Well water contaminants concerns
Pigg said research shows the presence of E. coli bacteria in water indicates that waste from humans or warm-blooded animals may have contaminated the water. Water contaminated with E. coli is more likely to also have pathogens that can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea or other symptoms.
The presence of nitrate-nitrogen in well water is also a concern, and water with nitrate-nitrogen at levels of 10 parts per million is considered unsafe for human consumption, he said.
“These nitrate levels above 10 parts per million can disrupt the ability of blood to carry oxygen throughout the body, resulting in a condition called methemoglobinemia,” Pigg said. “Infants less than 6 months of age are most susceptible to this.”
Salinity, as measured by total dissolved solids, will also be determined for each sample, he said. Water with high levels may leave deposits and have a salty taste. Using water with high levels for irrigation may damage soil or plants.
To learn more about the programs offered through the network or to find additional publications and resources, visit https://twon.tamu.edu. For more information on the water screening contact Pigg at j-pigg@tamu.edu.
The screenings are presented by AgriLife Extension and Texas Water Resources Institute, TWRI, in partnership with AgriLife Extension, South Plains Underground Water Conservation District, and Sandy Land Underground Water Conservation District.
Funding for TWON is through a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) nonpoint source grant provided by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The project is managed by TWRI, part of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, AgriLife Extension and the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
