The Texas Well Owner Network, TWON, will host water well screenings in Port Lavaca and Bay City Sept. 23-24.
Water samples will be screened for contaminants, including total coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitrate-nitrogen and salinity.
“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,” said Joel Pigg, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist, Bryan-College Station. “It allows them to learn more about how to improve and protect their community water resources.”
Water sample and meeting information
Area residents can drop off water samples in:
- Calhoun County: Sept. 23, 8:30-10 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension Office, 311 Henery Barber Way, Suite 01, in Port Lavaca, or at the Calhoun County Groundwater Conservation District office, 131-A N. Virginia Street, in Port Lavaca.
- Jackson County: Sept. 23, 8:30-10 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension Office, 411 N. Well, Suite 111, in Edna, or at the Texana Groundwater Conservation District office, 411 N. Wells Street, in Edna.
- Matagorda County: Sept. 23, 8:30-10 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension Office, 2200 7th Street, in Bay City, or at the Coastal Plains Groundwater Conservation District office, 2200 7th Street, Suite 401, in Bay City.
Follow-up meetings will explain the results of the water screenings and include a 4-hour educational program that covers wells, aquifers, septic systems, water quality and water treatment. These will be held in:
- Port Lavaca: Sept. 24, 8 a.m. - noon, at the Calhoun County AgriLife Meeting Room, 311 Henery Barber Way, in Port Lavaca.
- Bay City: Sept. 24, 1:30-5:30 p.m., at the Matagorda County Fairgrounds Multi-Purpose Building, 4511 FM 2668, in Bay City.
Sampling instructions
Residents interested in having their well water screened should pick up the sample bag, 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 residents may bring as many samples as they would like.
“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, nitrate-nitrogen, arsenic 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
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 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 the Texas Water Resources Institute, TWRI, in partnership with the AgriLife Extension offices in Calhoun, Jackson and Matagorda counties.
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, a unit of Texas A&M AgriLife Research that brings together expertise from across The Texas A&M University System.
