STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Private well workshops in four counties this spring will help homeowners improve their drinking water sources.

The Mississippi Well Owner Network, a program of the Mississippi State University Extension Service, will hold workshops at Extension offices in Pearl River County May 12-13, Lawrence County May 20, Greene County May 27 and Prentiss County June 15. Well owners can receive onsite technical assistance on these dates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. by calling their local MSU Extension agent and getting their names and addresses added to the list of residents requesting direct technical assistance.

A grant from the Environmental Protection Agency is funding the workshops and water screenings. The first 45 workshop registrants at each of the four locations will receive free bacterial sample screening for their wells. Screenings for others are $25.

Well owners in Pearl River County can pick up sample bottles and collection instructions April 29-May 12 at 204 Julia Street in Poplarville; Lawrence County, May 5-19, 214 Main Street, Suite C, Monticello; Greene County, May 12-26, 414 Oak Street, Leakesville; Prentiss County, June 1-14, 2301 North Second Street, Booneville.

Well owners can participate in the onsite technical assistance, just get the screenings, or do both, but registration is required for free screenings. Anyone scheduled to have direct technical assistance will have their water sample collected at that time. For best results, use the sample bottles provided by the MSU Extension county office.

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

Preregister for the workshop at http://msuext.ms/mswon or by calling 662-325-1788. MSU is an equal opportunity institution. For disability accommodation, please contact Lance Newman at jason.barrett@msstate.edu or 662-325-1788.