The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host an educational workshop on septic system maintenance for Petronila Creek and San Fernando Creek watershed residents on June 4 in Kingsville.   

Individuals standing around a septic system cover. One is taking measurements and the others are writing down information
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host an educational workshop on septic system maintenance for Petronila Creek and San Fernando Creek watershed residents on June 4 in Kingsville. (Texas Water Resources Institute)

The free workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Room 109 of the Engineering Complex on the Texas A&M University-Kingsville campus, 700 University Blvd. Parking is available in Lot F.

Registration is available by calling the AgriLife Extension office for Kleberg-Kennedy counties at 361-595-8566. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. 

About the workshop

Landowners and residents in Jim Wells, Duval, Nueces and Kleberg counties who depend on septic systems are encouraged to attend. The workshop will focus on best practices for operating and maintaining home septic systems.

AgriLife Extension wastewater specialists will be available to answer questions about septic systems. 

Home septic systems, also known as on-site sewage facilities or OSSFs, treat wastewater before it is dispersed on-site. Malfunctioning OSSFs can pose a human health risk and contribute excess bacteria and other pollutants to local streams, bays and groundwater. Proper septic maintenance can extend the life of systems and reduce the need for costly repairs.

This clinic does not certify homeowners to do the quarterly inspections required for aerobic systems.

Petronilla and San Fernando Creeks Watershed Protection Plan

Failing septic systems were identified during the Petronila and San Fernando Creeks Watershed Protection Plan development process as a potential source of bacterial contamination in nearby streams and waterways. This clinic is an educational component of the Petronilla and San Fernando Creeks Watershed Protection Plan.

Petronila Creek and San Fernando Creek are two of the three major tributaries to Baffin Bay. To learn more about efforts to protect the Baffin Bay watershed, visit bringingbaffinback.org and see the Petronilla and San Fernando Creeks Watershed Protection Plan.

Grant program opportunity

Participants will also learn about a grant program providing a limited number of free septic system pump-outs to homeowners in the Petronila Creek and San Fernando Creek watersheds. 

Interested individuals can apply for the septic system pump-out program by contacting Shaylynn Postma, Texas Water Resources Institute research specialist, Bryan-College Station, at [email protected]

Funding for the class is provided by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as part of a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.