East Texas Well Owners: Is Your Water Safe?

Most homeowners only think about well water when something seems wrong. But some problems have no smell, no taste, and no color. You cannot see them.

Here are some times when testing is the smart move:

• You just bought the house. The previous owners may not have tested in years. You have no way to know. Get a baseline before you settle in.
• A baby is coming home. Infants are more sensitive to nitrates than adults. Nitrates can be dangerous for babies even at levels adults would never notice. Test before baby arrives.
• Your water suddenly smells like rotten eggs. That sulfur smell usually comes from hydrogen sulfide in the groundwater. Or it might just be your water heater breaking down — not the well itself. Either way, you want to know which it is.
• The smell only comes from the hot tap. If only your hot water smells, the water heater is often the culprit. That is usually good news. It may have nothing to do with your well at all.
• Your well sat unused. Inherited property, a vacation cabin, a rental that sat empty for months. Stagnant water can grow bacteria. Test before anyone drinks it.
• After a big rain or flood. Heavy rain can push surface water down around the wellhead casing. That runoff can carry bacteria with it. A test after major flooding is just smart.
• After a no-water or pump repair visit. If a pump was pulled, a line was opened, the well was worked on, or the system sat without pressure, ask the contractor whether bacteria testing or shock chlorination is appropriate before regular use.
• Your water tastes or looks different. Not dramatically different. Just a little off. That is enough of a reason. Trust that instinct.

None of these situations means your water is definitely bad. They just mean it is worth knowing.

Texas Well Owner Network screening notes and well-owner resources commonly point homeowners toward these first checks:

• Total coliform bacteria — a general sign that something may have gotten in
• E. coli — the specific bacteria linked to fecal contamination
• Nitrates — can come from farming, fertilized lawns, or nearby septic systems
• Salinity (total dissolved solids) — affects taste and can flag deeper issues
• Arsenic — sometimes included depending on local geology

You do not need to test for everything every single year. At minimum, bacteria and E. coli once a year is a solid starting point. If your property is near farmland or a septic system, add nitrates. If you are buying a new home, do the full panel.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension runs a program called the Texas Well Owner Network — most people just call it TWON. It was built specifically for homeowners who depend on private wells.

TWON offers:

• Low-cost water quality screenings
• Training on how wells and groundwater work
• Help understanding what your results mean
• Guidance on treatment options when something needs fixing

Your local AgriLife Extension office can connect you with upcoming TWON screenings and point you toward certified labs. Screenings have come directly to communities in Northeast Texas in the past — worth checking if one is near you.

If you want to skip straight to a lab test, use a lab that is accredited by the state of Texas (TCEQ-accredited). Your county health department can point you to one. Your local Extension office can too.

The results are only as reliable as the sample you bring in. A few things matter here:

1. Use the spigot closest to your wellhead. Not the kitchen sink. Not the bathroom. The one closest to where the water enters the house.
2. Run the water for a couple of minutes first. Let the standing water in the line clear out.
3. Use the sterile container the lab gives you. Do not rinse it. Do not touch the inside.
4. Keep the sample cold. An ice pack in a small cooler works fine.
5. Get it to the lab within 24 hours. Do not let it sit in your car overnight.

The lab will usually walk you through collection when you pick up the container. But knowing these steps ahead of time helps you avoid a wasted trip.

At least once a year — that is the recommendation from TWON and AgriLife Extension resources cited below. Annual bacteria testing is the baseline for most private well owners.

If you have an older well, if you are near a septic system, or if you live in a low-lying area that floods regularly, test more often. When something changes — new smell, different taste, nearby land use changes — test then too. Do not wait for the annual cycle if something seems off.

Do not panic. A positive bacteria result does not always mean you have a serious problem. Sometimes it is a sampling error. Sometimes the fix is as simple as shock chlorination — a process that sanitizes the well.

The follow-up step matters a lot. TWON screenings include help explaining what your results mean and what to do next. Take advantage of that. A certified well driller or water treatment professional can also walk through your options with you.

Many private wells in East Texas draw from the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer. It runs through more than 60 counties and is a primary water source for rural households and smaller communities across the region.

Texas A&M researchers have studied this aquifer for years. In some areas, the water table has dropped more than 150 feet over several decades. That is a significant change. It does not mean your well is in trouble, but it does mean that local geology and local conditions matter when thinking about your water.

Your neighbor's well and your well may behave differently, even if you live a mile apart. National averages and general statistics do not tell you much about what is happening underground at your specific property. That is exactly why local testing — not assumptions — is the right approach.

Start with your local AgriLife Extension office. Ask about TWON screenings in your county.

You can also go directly to twon.tamu.edu to find training resources and contact information.

If you have never tested your well, start there. If it has been more than a year, put it back on the calendar.