STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi homeowners with private wells have three opportunities to learn how to enhance the quality of their drinking water sources.

The Mississippi Well Owner Network, a program of the Mississippi State University Extension Service, will hold workshops at the Extension offices in Wayne County Sept. 26, Pearl River County Oct. 24 and Tate County Jan. 25, 2018. Each workshop begins at 6 p.m.

Well owners in Wayne County can pick up a sample bottle and collection instructions Sept. 18-22 and Sept. 25 at 810-A Chickasawhay Street in Waynesboro. Pearl River County private well owners can get these materials Oct. 16-20 and Oct. 23 at 417 Highway 11 North in Poplarville. Sample bottle pickup dates for Tate County residents are Jan. 16-19 and Jan. 22-24 at No. 1 French’s Alley in Senatobia.

Private well screenings for bacteria will cost $25 per sample analysis. A water screening is not required to attend the workshop, nor is attendance required to have water screened. Anyone planning to attend the workshop can bring their water sample then. For best results, use the sample bottles provided by the MSU Extension county office.

Screening results will be mailed to the well owner, along with a publication explaining how to interpret the results. Each participant will receive free MSU Extension publications with information on private wells and septic systems.

Preregister for the workshop at http://gcd.msstate.com/register or by calling 662-325-1788.