COLLEGE STATION — The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will offer several Texas Well Owner Network, or TWON, Well Informed well water screenings in April in the North Texas area.
The Texas Water Resources Institute is partnering with AgriLife Extension offices in North Texas and TWON on these screenings.
“Private water wells should be tested annually and our screening provides that,” said John Smith, AgriLife Extension program specialist, College Station.
Samples will be screened for contaminants, including total coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitrate-nitrogen and salinity.
He said well owners submitting samples should use only sampling bags and bottles from their respective AgriLife Extension office and follow the included instructions carefully to ensure accurate results.
A $10 per sample fee will be collected when bags and bottles are picked up by participants. Sampling items will be available at least a week before the turn-in dates and must be turned in by 10 a.m. on the day of screening.
Dates, times and locations for the screenings and follow-up meetings to explain results will be:
— April 8 from 8:30-10 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Hood County, Hood County Annex I, Room 22, 1410 W. Pearl St. in Granbury. Follow-up will be 6 p.m. April 15 at the United Cooperative Services Meeting Room, 320 Fall Creek Highway in Granbury.
— April 8 from 8:30-10 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Parker County, 604 N. Main St., Suite 200 in Weatherford. Follow-up at 6 p.m. April 9 at the same location.
— April 8 from 8:30-10 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Palo Pinto County, 221 S. Fifth Ave. in Palo Pinto. Follow-up at 6 p.m. April 15 at the same location.
— April 9 from 8:30-10 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Montague County courthouse, first floor, 266 Franklin St. in Montague. Follow-up at 6 p.m. April 10 at the Montague County Annex, 11339 State Highway 59 N. in Montague.
— April 10 from 8:30-10 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Wise County, 206 S. State St. in Decatur. Follow-up at 6 p.m. April 11 at the Wise County Fairgrounds, Women’s Building, 3101 S. Farm-to-Market Road 51 in Decatur.
— April 11 from 8:30-10 a.m. at the AgriLife Extension office for Jack County, 100 N. Main St. in Jacksboro. Follow-up at 6 p.m. April 15 at the same location.
Smith said it is important for those submitting samples to be at the meeting to receive results, learn corrective measures for identified problems and to improve understanding of private well management.
To learn more about the network’s programs, publications and resources, go to http://twon.tamu.edu.
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.
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Contact: John W. Smith, 979-845-2761, johnwsmith@tamu.edu