The Texas Well Owner Network, TWON, will host private water well screenings and an educational program July 1-2. The screenings will be in Hood, Erath, Eastland, Hamilton and Somervell counties. The screenings will allow residents to have their well water screened.
There is a $15 per sample cost for the water well screenings. Water samples will be screened for contaminants, including total coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitrate-nitrogen, arsenic and salinity.
The TWON program serves residents who depend on household wells for their water needs, said Joel Pigg, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist and TWON coordinator, Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Bryan-College Station.
“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.”
Well owners are encouraged to bring water samples from all of the wells on their property. Also, bring water samples from before and after any water treatment systems that may be attached to the wells.
Water sampling and meeting information
— Hood County: July 1, water samples can be dropped off from 8:30-11:00 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Hood County, Hood County Annex 1, Room 22, 1410 W. Pearl Street, Granbury.
— Erath County: July 1, water samples can be dropped off from 8:30-11:00 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Erath County, 100 W. Washington Street, Stephenville.
— Eastland County: July 1, water samples can be dropped off from 8:30-11:00 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Eastland County, 102 North Lamar, Suite 307, Eastland.
— Hamilton County: July 1, water samples can be dropped off from 8:30-11:00 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Hamilton County, 101 E. Henry, Hamilton.
— Somervell County: Wednesday, July 1st, water samples can be dropped off from 8:30-11:00 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Somervell County, 1405 Texas Drive, Glen Rose.
The follow-up educational program meeting to explain the results of the screenings will be from 10 a.m. – noon on July 2 at 222 E. College Street, Stephenville. Topics covered will include: water well basics, water wells 101, water quality and sample results.
Sampling instructions
Attendees are asked to use the water sample instructions and form available at twon.tamu.edu. A water sample form must be completed for each sample submitted.
Pigg said it is essential for those submitting samples to attend the follow-up meeting. There, they will receive results, learn corrective measures for identified problems and improve their understanding of private well management.
To learn more about the programs offered through the network or to find additional resources, visit twon.tamu.edu. For more information on the water screening contact Pigg at 979-321-5946 or j-pigg@tamu.edu.
The screenings are presented by AgriLife Extension and Texas Water Resources Institute, TWRI. TWRI is a unit of Texas A&M AgriLife Research that combines expertise across The Texas A&M University System. Funding for TWON is through a Clean Water Act nonpoint source grant. This grant is provided by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
