Texas Border Business
By Texas A&M AgriLife
The Texas Well Owner Network, TWON, will host private water well collections and results meetings in South Texas from June 22-30 to allow residents to have their well water screened.
The cost of the screening for residents in the Robstown, Sinton and Refugio areas is $15 per sample, while the other areas offering testing will not have a fee.
Water samples will be screened for contaminants, including total coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitrate-nitrogen, arsenic and salinity.
The TWON program serves residents who depend on household wells for their water needs, said Joel Pigg, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist and TWON coordinator, Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Bryan-College Station.
“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,” he said. “It allows them to learn more about how to improve and protect their community water resources.”
Water sampling and meeting information
Water samples can be dropped off at the following locations and times:
- Robstown area: AgriLife Extension office for Nueces County, 710 E. Main Ave., Suite 1, Robstown, June 23, 8:30-10:30 a.m.
- Falfurrias, Alice and Hebbronville areas: AgriLife Extension office for Jim Hogg County, 109 E. Santa Clara Ave., Hebbronville; AgriLife Extension office in Brooks County, 219 Calixto Mora Ave., Falfurrias; Brush County Groundwater Conservation District, 732 W. Rice St., Falfurrias, June 23, 8-10 a.m.
- Kingsville and Sarita areas: AgriLife Extension office in Kleberg-Kenedy counties, 729 E. Yoakum Ave., Kingsville; Kenedy County Groundwater Conservation District, 365 La Parra Ave., Sarita, June 23, 8-10 a.m.
- Zapata and Rio Grande City areas: AgriLife Extension office in Zapata County, 200 E. Seventh Ave., Suite 249, Zapata; AgriLife Extension office in Starr County, 500 N. Britton Ave., Rio Grande City, June 23, 8-10 a.m.
- Benavides area: AgriLife Extension office in Duval County, 131 W. Main St., Benavides; AgriLife Extension office in Jim Wells County, 200 N. Almond St., B110, Alice; Duval County Groundwater Conservation District, 225 E. Railroad Ave., Benavides, June 24, 8-11 a.m.
- Sinton area: San Patricio County Fairgrounds Civic Center, 219 W. Fifth St., Sinton, June 24, 7:30-11 a.m.
- Refugio area: AgriLife Extension office in Refugio County, 414 B N. Alamo St., Refugio, June 22, 8:30-10 a.m.
- San Benito, Edinburg and Raymondville areas: AgriLife Extension office in Cameron County, 1390 W. Expressway 83, San Benito; AgriLife Extension office in Hidalgo County, 410 N. 13th Ave., Edinburg; AgriLife Extension office in Willacy County, 471 W. Hidalgo Ave., Raymondville, June 22, 8-10 a.m.
- Laredo area: AgriLife Extension office in Webb County, 7209 E. Saunders St., Suite 5, Laredo, June 23, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. or 7-8 p.m.
Results meetings will be held on June 25 in the following locations:
- Robstown area: AgriLife Extension office for Nueces County, 7 p.m.
- Falfurrias, Alice and Hebbronville areas: Brush County Groundwater Conservation District, 1-2:30 p.m.
- Kingsville and Sarita areas: AgriLife Extension office in Kleberg-Kenedy County, 10:30 a.m.
- Benavides and Laredo areas: Duval County Groundwater Conservation District, 4-5:30 p.m.
- Sinton area: San Patricio County Fair Grounds Civic Center, 6 p.m.
- Refugio area: Refugio County Fairgrounds, 109 Fairgrounds Road, Refugio, 8 a.m. to noon.
The results meeting for the San Benito, Edinburg and Raymondville areas will be held on June 23 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco, 2415 E. Business 83, Weslaco.
The results meeting for Zapata and Rio Grande City areas will be a virtual meeting at the AgriLife Extension offices in Zapata and Starr counties on June 30 at 6 p.m. Residents may also contact Pigg at j-pigg@tamu.edu for the Zoom link.
Sampling instructions
Attendees are asked to follow the water sample instructions available at twon.tamu.edu.
Pigg said it is essential for those submitting samples to attend the follow-up meeting to receive results, learn corrective measures for identified problems and improve their understanding of private well management.
For more information on the screenings, contact Pigg at 979-321-5946 or j-pigg@tamu.edu.
Information source: Texas A&M AgriLife
