The Texas Well Owner Network, TWON, is hosting upcoming events in West Texas Oct. 10-13 to allow residents to have their well water screened: one “Well Educated” water well screening in Alpine and two “Well Informed” water well screenings in Fort Stockton and Pecos.
Joel Pigg, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist and TWON coordinator, College Station, said the Texas Well Owner Network program is for Texas residents who depend on household wells for their 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, arsenic, nitrate-nitrogen and salinity.
Water sampling and meeting information
— Alpine, Marfa, Fort Davis, Sanderson and Van Horn areas: Oct. 11, water samples can be dropped off from 8:00-10 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Brewster County, 2201 FM 703 in Alpine; the AgriLife Extension office for Presidio County, 300 N. Highland St., Courthouse 2nd Floor in Marfa; the AgriLife Extension office for Terrell County, Courthouse Square in Sanderson; the AgriLife Extension office for Culberson County, 300 La Caverna St. in Van Horn; the Brewster County Groundwater Conservation District (GCD) office 201 W. W. Ave. E in Alpine; the Jeff Davis County UWCD, 113 State St. in Fort Davis; the Culberson County GCD office, 1300 West Broadway in Van Horn; or the Presidio County UWCD office, 300 N. Highland St., Courthouse 2nd Floor in Marfa. There will be a $15 per sample cost for the water screening.
On Oct. 13, the follow-up meeting to explain the results of the screenings will be from 8:00 a.m. until noon at the Big Bend Telephone Conference Room, 808 N. 5th St., Alpine.
— Fort Stockton area: Oct. 10, water samples can be dropped off from 8:00-10 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Pecos County, 100 E. Division in Fort Stockton, or the Middle Pecos GCD office, 405 North Spring Dr., in Fort Stockton. There will be a $15 per sample fee for the water screening.
On Oct. 11, the follow-up meeting to explain the results of the screenings will be at 8:00 a.m. at the Middle Pecos Groundwater Conservation District office, 405 North Spring Dr., Fort Stockton.
— Reeves County area: Oct. 10, water samples can be dropped off from 8-10 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Reeves County, 700 W. Daggett St. in Pecos, or the Reeves County GCD office, 119 S. Cedar Street in Pecos. There will be a $15 per sample cost for the water well screening.
The follow-up meeting to explain the results of the screenings will be at 10:00 a.m. Oct. 12 at the Waters of West Texas Symposium in Pecos at the Reeves County Civic Center, 1500 S. Cedar Street.
Sampling instructions
Pigg said area residents wanting to have their well water screened should pick up a sample bag, bottle and instructions from their local AgriLife Extension office.
“It is very important that only sampling bags and bottles from the AgriLife Extension offices 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, nitrate-nitrogen and salinity.
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
John Smith, AgriLife Extension program specialist, Bryan-College Station, 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 and young livestock 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 twon.tamu.edu. For more information on the water screening contact Pigg at 979-845-1461 or j-pigg@tamu.edu or Smith at 979-204-0573 or john.smith@ag.tamu.edu.
The screenings are presented by AgriLife Extension and Texas Water Resources Institute, TWRI, in partnership with the AgriLife Extension offices in Brewster County, Presidio County, Jeff Davis County, Culberson County, Terrell County, Reeves County, and Pecos County. Additional support is provided by Middle Pecos GCD, Brewster County GCD, Culberson County GCD, Jeff Davis County UWCD, Presidio County UWCD, Terrell County GCD, and the Reeves County GCD.
Funding for TWON is through a Clean Water Act 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.
