Importance of testing your water
Do you rely on a domestic water well to provide water to your home? When was the last time you had that water tested? Private domestic water supplies should be tested at least once a year for bacteria and every few years for nitrates and salts and compare the results against the federal standards that can be found at water.epa.gov/lawsregs/ rulesregs/sdwa/. There are over 1,000,000 private water wells in Texas and even a greater number of abandoned wells. According to the Texas Well Owner Network presentation at a recent meeting in Hale and Castro Counties, about 10% of private wells contain fecal coliform bacteria.
Testing your water well allows for the identification of both natural and human-made contaminates such as bacteria, nitrates, heavy metals, and pesticides and herbicides. Bacteria, like E. coli, can pose serious health risks. Excessive nitrates contamination may be a concern in areas of heavy agricultural activity and areas that are served by a septic system, even when properly designed and regulated. High nitrates and prolonged ingestion can cause “blue baby syndrome” that depletes the blood of oxygen.
Groundwater can change over time from factors like flooding, drought, land use changes, or nearby construction. Landowners are responsible for managing drinking water coming from a domestic well. Keeping accurate records like the GPS location of your well, the five or six digit well identification number, well construction and driller information, any well testing data and geological formation information all will be handy if you ever to decide to sell the land the well is on, leave this for the new owner.
Results from the recent (September 2024) water testing program can be found at castro. agrilife. org/ agronomy/ newsletters. For more information on testing your private well whether for drinking, livestock, or irrigation, call the Castro, Hale, or Lamb County Extension Office.