The Texas Well Owner Network in conjunction with the Mill Creek Watershed Partnership is hosting a “Well Educated” water well screening February 5 in Bellville and Brenham to give area residents the opportunity to have their well water screened.

Joel Pigg, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist and TWON coordinator, College Station, said the TWON program is for Texas residents who depend on household wells for their water needs.

“The 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.

Water samples can be dropped off from 8:30-10 a.m. at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office for Austin County, 800 East Wendt Street in Bellville or the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office for Washington County, 1305 E. Blue Bell Road, Suite 104 in Brenham.  There will be a $15 per sample charge for the water screening.

The follow-up meeting to explain the results of the screenings will be at 8:30 a.m. February 7 at the Kenney Agricultural Society Hall, 444 Hall Road in Bellville.

The screening is presented by AgriLife Extension and Texas Water Resources Institute, TWRI, partnership with the AgriLife Extension offices in Austin and Washington Counties, and the Mill Creek Watershed Partnership.

Sampling instructions

Joel Pigg, AgriLife Extension program specialist, Bryan-College Station, said area residents wanting to have their well water screened should pick up a sample bag, bottle and instructions from the AgriLife Extension office.

“It is very important that only sampling bags and bottles from the AgriLife Extension office be used and all instructions for proper sampling are followed to ensure accurate results,” Pigg 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 extremely important for those submitting samples to be at the February 7 meeting in order 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 present 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 http://twon.tamu.edu. For more information, contact Joel Pigg at 979-321-5946 or j-pigg@tamu.edu or Annalee Epps, Watershed Coordinator at 979-321-5921 or annalee.epps@ag.tamu.edu.

Funding for the Texas Well Owner Network 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 University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.