Oklahoma Water

Resources Center

A water well testing project that recently gained university-wide recognition continues to gain statewide exposure while supporting rural health.

 

Jeff Sadler, a water resources specialist for Oklahoma State University Extension and an assistant professor in the OSU Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, received the Land-Grant Award for Excellence during the Oklahoma State University Awards Convocation ceremony in December. He and researchers and specialists from the Oklahoma Water Resources Center established the Oklahoma Well Owner Network in 2023.

 

The project provides free residential well-water testing and training to Oklahomans. At Oklahoma Well Owner Network events, landowners can submit a water sample from their private well. The Oklahoma Water Resources Center coordinates testing for nitrates, total dissolved solids (salts), pH levels and bacteria. Results are shared with the well owners within one to two weeks.

 

“For those using a private well, the water is not tested, so we’re trying to support those landowners,” Sadler said. “It’s great to meet a lot of people and hear their water concerns. More than half the people who have submitted samples have never tested their well before.”

 

The Oklahoma Well Owner Network testing opportunities are hosted by OSU Extension county educators, tribal organizations, county hospitals and municipalities; they organize the one-day drop-off events at rural health fairs, county Extension offices and other community centers. Water samples are transported to the OSU campus in Stillwater for testing.

 

The multidisciplinary team has yet to visit all 77 counties in the state, but Sadler said it has connected with hundreds of well owners statewide.

 

“The success of this project has been dependent on local community members,” he said. “Extension educators are meeting new residents at the drop-off events, and a lot of people are asking for follow-up testing.”

 

The Oklahoma Well Owner Network has been sponsored through grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Rural Health and Safety Education Program.

 

The project’s involvement in Extension, ag research and education upholds OSU’s land-grant mission and requires a team effort from students, researchers and OSU Extension staff.

 

“I have some excellent undergraduate students who have taken the lion’s share of testing the water samples,” Sadler said. “Not only are we providing outreach and education to community members, but we’re teaching students about water testing and the importance of sharing this valuable information with residents.”

 

The Oklahoma Well Owner Network team plans to continue holding testing events throughout the state through 2025. Residents can contact their county OSU Extension office to learn if an event is planned in their area.

 

OSU Agriculture is dedicated to improving the quality of life of Oklahomans through science-based information and education. It is comprised of the Ferguson College of Agriculture and two state agencies: OSU Ag Research and OSU Extension.

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Gail Ellis | Office of Communications & Marketing, OSU Agriculture | (405) 744-9152 | gail.ellis@okstate.edu