Private water well screening set

The Lampasas County office of Texas Cooperative Extension is sponsoring a water well screening day for area residents Tuesday. Samples may be dropped off from 8 a.m. to noon at the following locations:

-- Texas Cooperative Extension, 409 S. Pecan St., Lampasas County Office Building.

-- Kempner Volunteer Fire Department.

-- Lometa City Hall, 109 W. San Saba St.

-- Adamsville Volunteer Fire Department.

Results will be given following a short educational program on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Lampasas County Office Building Conference Room.

The program will address water quality issues, well-head protection, and steps to correct any problems found as a result of the testing.

The screening is designed to inform private water well owners and users of water contamination from two common contaminants: fecal coliform and nitrates.

The presence of fecal coliform in water indicates that feces (bodily waste from humans or animals) may have contaminated the water.

Water contaminated with feces has microorganisms present that can cause a number of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and dysentery.

Nitrates in ground water at levels of 10 milligrams per liter mg/L (or parts per million) is considered unsafe for human consumption.

Nitrate levels above 10 mg/L can disrupt the blood's ability to carry oxygen throughout the body. Nitrate is converted to nitrite which combines with hemoglobin, the chemical that carries oxygen in the blood, to form methemoglobin.

Oxygen can't bind with methemoglobin, therefore, oxygen is not carried throughout the body.

As a result, oxygen starvation occurs. This condition is called methemoglobinemia. If left untreated, death may result. Infants less than 6 months old and young livestock are most susceptible.

Salinity in the form of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) will also be determined on each sample.

There is a $5 fee per sample. All checks should payable to Lampasas ANR Committee. Participants will need to pick up a sample bag and instruction sheet from the Lampasas County Extension office. Only sampling bags from the county Extension office may be used. All instructions for proper sampling must be followed to insure accurate results.

For more information, contact the Extension office at 556-8271.