On July 27, the Texas Well Owner Network (TWON) hosted a “Well Educated” Workshop to educate Wimberley residents about managing household wells, improving and protecting water resources, groundwater resources, septic system maintenance, well maintenance and construction, and water quality and treatment. Event sponsors included the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, the Cypress Creek Project, managed by The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State, and the Rural Community Assistance Project. The City of Wimberley graciously provided space for the training.

In Texas, private owners are responsible for monitoring the quality of their well water, ensuring their drinking water is safe and maintaining all other aspects of their water system, said Drew Gholson, AgriLife Extension program specialist and network coordinator. “That’s why these Texas Well Owner Network trainings are important,” Gholson said. “The TWON training helps private landowners better understand the testing, inspection and maintenance of their wells.”

At Texas Well Owner trainings, held regularly throughout the state, well owners are given the opportunity to bring well-water samples for analysis. Samples are tested for nitrate, total dissolved solids, arsenic and bacteria. Thirty out of forty-eight attendees submitted well-water samples for screening. According to Gholson, well-screening results from the Wimberley training showed some total coliform, but showed zero positives for E. coli.

The training is one of several being conducted statewide through the Texas Well Owner Network project. Those interested in future Texas Well Owner Network trainings can find more information at here. For more information about events related to the Cypress Creek watershed, visit www.CypressCreekWatershed.org.