To pre-register for the program by 8/25/2021, please click HERE, or call 979-277-6212, ext. 2

*Please note: The program itself will be hosted at the Washington County Expo.*

Besides time, water is arguably one of the most valuable commodities our society has not been able to hone a sustainable regeneration process for.  Thus, stewardship of water and management of private water wells is important as we continue to see an increase in urbanization of rural lands and instillation of more private water wells.

The Texas Well Owner Network, or TWON, program is designed for Texas residents who depend on private 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.  The course allows them to learn more about how to improve and protect their water resources.

The Austin & Washington County Extension Offices are pleased to present the Texas Well Owner Network training on Friday, August 27, 2021 in Brenham.  The “Well Educated” training, which is free and open to the public, will welcome participants at 12:30pm with the program beginning promptly at 1:00pm at the Washington County Expo Sales Facility, 1305 E. Blue Bell Road in Brenham.

Anyone is welcome to attend, including those who do not wish to have samples evaluated but anyone planning to submit samples must attend the course to receive the analysis results.  Pre-registration for the program is required by August 25, 2021, and may be completed online by visiting: http://washington.agrilife.org/TWON

Well Water Sample Instructions

Participants who are interested in having their well water evaluated may submit a sample in advance of the training and will receive sample results at the program.  Water samples will be screened for nitrates, total dissolved solids, and bacteria.

Well owners who would like to have their well water sampled may pick up a sample packet, which will contain instruction, a link to a sample collection video, and two water collection containers, from the Austin County Extension Office located at 800 E Wendt St. in Bellville.

Water samples and the $10.00 fee must be delivered to the Austin County Extension Office on Thursday, August 26, 2021, between the hours of 8:00am and 1:30pm to be analyzed.  No samples will be accepted on Friday, August 27, 2021.

For additional information please feel free to contact the Austin County Extension Office at 979-865-2072 or Washington County Extension Office at (979) 277-6212 or visit our website at http://washington.agrilife.org/

This training is one of several being conducted statewide through the Texas Well Owner Network project.  The core content of this program is the same as other trainings, but the information is tailored to local water quality issues and aquifers.  More than a million private water wells in Texas provide water to citizens in rural areas and increasingly to those living on small acreages at the growing rural-urban interface. Private well owners are independently responsible for monitoring the quality of their wells.

Funding for the Texas Well Owner Network 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 the Texas Water Resources Institute, part of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, AgriLife Extension and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University.