The Texas Well Owner Network, TWON, will host water screenings in the Brushy Creek Watershed June 12-13 for residents in Williamson and Milam counties.

windmill with a blue sky in the background
The Texas Well Owner Network will host water screenings in the Brushy Creek Watershed on June 12-13 for residents in Williamson and Milam counties. (Texas Water Resources Institute)

Water samples will be screened for contaminants, including total coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitrate-nitrogen and salinity. 

“The TWON 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,” said Joel Pigg, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist and TWON coordinator, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Bryan-College Station.

The program allows well owners to learn more about improving and protecting their community water resources.

Water sampling and meeting information

Residents can drop off water samples on June 12 from 8:30-10 a.m. at the following locations: 

  • Stiles Farm Foundation headquarters, 5700 Farm-to-Market Road 1063, Thrall.
  • AgriLife Extension office for Williamson County, 100 Wilco Way, Suite 201, Georgetown. 

A follow-up meeting to explain the results of the screenings, as well as basics on water wells, aquifers, septic systems and water treatment, will be held from 1-5 p.m. at the Dickey Gross Community Center, 1015 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Taylor. 

Sampling instructions

There is a $15-per-sample fee for this program and residents are encouraged to bring samples from all wells on their property. Attendees need to label samples with their name. 

Instructions for taking an effective water sample include: 

  • Pour out the contents of a new bottle of water and fill it with water from the private water well.  
  • Take the sample directly from the spigot or hose bib nearest the well head. If an inside faucet is used, remove the aerator before collecting the water. 
  • Rinse and dry the exterior of the faucet to prevent contamination of the sample. If possible, wipe it with a Clorox-type towelette or paper towel with a light bleach solution to kill bacteria. Allow the solution to dry before sampling. Turn on the water full force and let it run for 2 minutes or until you hear the pump start running. Reduce water flow to a small stream.
  • Refrigerate the sample and transport it in an ice chest to the drop-off location as soon as possible after collecting the water. Make sure the sample is kept cool and out of direct sunlight. 
  • Samples should be collected within 24 hours before screening to ensure accurate results.

It is essential for those submitting samples to be at the appropriate follow-up meeting to receive results, learn corrective measures for identified problems and improve their understanding of private well management, Pigg said 

The screenings are presented by AgriLife Extension and Texas Water Resources Institute, TWRI, in partnership with the AgriLife Extension office in Williamson County.

To learn more about the programs offered through the network or to find additional publications and resources, visit twon.tamu.edu. For more information on the water screening, contact Pigg at 979-321-5946 or [email protected].

Funding for TWON 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, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research unit that combines expertise across The Texas A&M University System. 

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