Oklahoma State University students are set to conduct well water analysis and a short training for citizens in Alfalfa County. Samples will be accepted at the Alfalfa County Extension Office until 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday March 2. The results will be provided the following evening, Thursday, March 3, along with a short informative presentation at 6 p.m. at the Alfalfa County Exhibit Building.

Well owners who would like to have their well water analyzed for free can pick up a sample collecting set, from the Alfalfa County Extension Office, 602 W 5th Street #2 Cherokee, prior to March 2. The purpose of the well water screening and training is to help well owners better understand and safeguard their drinking water quality.

“In 2018, we surveyed citizens across Oklahoma on what their biggest water resource concerns were,” said Kevin Wagner, Oklahoma Water Resource Center Director. “Consistently across the state, Oklahoman’s key concern was drinking water quality."

“This program helps begin addressing this concern by helping citizens relying on a private well to get their well water screened for key contaminants and then provide them with information on how to address any concerns identified,” said Tommy Puffinbarger, Alfalfa County Extension specialist.

Water samples will be screened for sulfates, nitrates, total dissolved solids, arsenic, pH and bacteria. Sample results and training, which is free and open to the public, will be March 3 at 6 p.m. at the Alfalfa County Exhibit Building located at the Alfalfa County fairgrounds in Cherokee.

This program is brought to you free of charge by environmental science students in the Ferguson College of Agriculture at OSU, Alfalfa County Extension, with financial support provided by the Oklahoma Water Resources Center. We encourage you to bring in your samples and attend this event.

For more information please contact Kevin Wagner, 405-744-5616, [email protected] or Tommy Puffinbarger, 580-596-3131, [email protected].