Private water well screening set for Feb. 2-3 in Palestine

“Well Informed” program offers sample drop-off, well results

The Texas Well Owner Network will host a “Well Informed” water well screening Feb. 2-3 in Palestine to give area residents the opportunity to have their well water screened.

The screening is presented by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Water Resources Institute, TWRI, in partnership with the AgriLife Extension office in Anderson County and the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District.

Residents wanting to have their well water screened should pick up a sample bag, bottle and instructions from the AgriLife Extension office for Anderson County at 101 E. Oak St. in Palestine prior to Feb. 2, said John Smith, AgriLife Extension program specialist, Bryan-College Station.

“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,” Smith said.

The “Well Informed” water sample drop-off will be Feb. 2 from 8:30-10 a.m. at the Anderson County Annex, 703 N. Mallard St., Room 103A, Palestine. The cost for each sample is $10.

Contaminant concerns

A meeting to explain screening results will be Feb. 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the same location. He said it is important for those submitting samples to attend the Feb. 3 meeting to receive results, learn corrective measures for identified problems, and improve their understanding of private well management.

Smith said private water wells should be tested annually. Samples will be screened for contaminants, including total coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitrate-nitrogen and salinity.

Smith 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.

“Water with nitrate-nitrogen at levels of 10 parts per million is considered unsafe for human consumption,” Smith said.

He said 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. Infants less than 6 months of age and young livestock are most susceptible.

Salinity, as measured by total dissolved solids, will also be determined for each sample, Smith said. Water with high levels may leave deposits and have a salty taste. Using water with high levels of dissolved solids for irrigation may damage soil or plants.

For additional information, contact the AgriLife Extension office for Anderson County at 903-723-3735.

To learn more about the programs offered through the network or to find additional publications and resources, visit 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 TWRI, 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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