Water Quality

The District (CTGCD) offers limited water quality testing on water from  groundwater wells within the District boundary which includes Burnet County only.  The water is tested for Total Colifom Colonies and E. Coli (Fecal) Colonies.  No Mineral or Chemical testing is done by the District.

Coliform Bacteria Tests are performed on wells located in Burnet County only and in accordance with analytical methods approved by the EPA, Texas Water Development Board, the Hach Co., or Idexx Laboratories, Inc. CTGCD in-house tests are not state-certified. The test results are intended to be representative of the water quality on the day of sampling only, and future samples from the same site may yield different results. While CTGCD undertakes commercially reasonable efforts to provide accurate testing no testing protocol is foolfproof.

The well owner must acknowledge that the water being tested is from a well in Burnet County and agrees that CTGCD cannot guarantee the accuracy of the test.

The testing is done as a service and is not a primary function of the district. Test results will be mailed or emailed on a date and time that is convenient for staff and usually within five days from the date the test is completed.

Total Coliform organisms are widely found in nature, but are not common in groundwater. They do not generally cause disease, but their presence indicates the possibility of other pathogenic bacteria. The absence of total coliform in water is used as a basis of determining safe drinking water.

E. Coli (Fecal Coliform) presence indicates contamination from human or animal wastes with the possibility of accompanying enteric pathogens. Water should not be consumed until the well and water system have been disinfected and retested.