The Texas Well Owner Network, TWON, is hosting an upcoming event in the South Plains on September 16-18 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: Castro, Swisher, Briscoe, Bailey, Lamb, Hale and Floyd County residents will have samples dropped off at the local County Extension office between 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. on Monday, September 16th.
Programs offered will be a 1or 4-hour program.
The one-hour programs that cover well head protection, water quality issues and results from the water samples will be held on Wednesday, September 18th at 4:00 p.m. at West Texas Coffee, 107 East Bedford Street, Dimmitt.
The 4-hour educational program will cover water well basics, aquifers, septic systems, water quality and water treatment options as well as sample results. This will be held on Wednesday, September 18th, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Hale County Extension office, 225 Broadway, Suite 6, Plainview. Lunch will be provided for those who attend.
Sampling instructions
Pigg said area residents wanting to have their well water screened should pick up sample bagand instructions from the local AgriLife Extension office before the date of the event.
Residents that live within the boundaries of the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District # 1 will have sample costs covered by the district, which include Castro, Hale, and Lamb counties.
“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.
Private water wells should be tested annually, he said. The samples will be screened for contaminants, including total coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitratenitrogen, 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 identi- fied 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 programs locally, contact Kristie Keys at Kristie. keys@ ag. tamu. edu or 325-665-8790.
The screenings are presented by AgriLife Extension and Texas Water Resources Institute, TWRI, in partnership with AgriLife Extension.
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.