General Information

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Company/Organization or Individual
Company/Organization or Individual’s Name: Brush Country Groundwater Conservation District
Mailing Address: 732 W. Rice Street
City: Falfurrias	State: Texas	ZIP Code: 78355
Contact Person: Luis "Louie" Pena
Contact Title: General Manager
Daytime Phone: 361-325-5093	Alternate Phone:
Email Address: lpena@brushcountrygcd.com
Details about Company/Organization
Total Number of Employees/Members: 13
Business Subsidiary of:
Customer Reference Number (CN):
Regulated Entity Reference Number (RN):
Details about the Environmental Project
Project Name: Brush Country Groundwater Conservation District Well Plugging Program
Project Started Improving the Environment in the Year: 2019
Project’s Physical Address: 732 W. Rice Street
City: Falfurrias	State: Texas	ZIP Code: 78355
Web Address: brushcountrygcd.com
YouTube Address:
Facebook Address:
Which Award Category Fits Best with This Project?
Award Category: NOTE: This category may be subject to change.

Project Information

Respond to each question in this section without exceeding the word limit. If a question does not pertain to your project, explain why (instead of leaving the question blank).

1. In detail, describe the applicant and their project. What environmental improvements come from this project, and how does the project achieve the improvements? (600 words or less)
In 2019 the Brush Country Groundwater Conservation District Board members along with their staff and legal counsel decided to budget $200,000 for the plugging of old abandoned and deteriorated water wells which could potentially contaminate the aquifers. The District, along with the board members and staff realized that the safety and importance of plugging such wells. Initially, the program was helping landowners who were eligible and had registered their water wells to apply to have their old abandoned water wells plugged. The district staff would then screen applications and would then have licensed water well drillers perform the plugging of the wells according to TDLR (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations) specifications. The licensed contractors would then submit a plugging report to the TDLR and would give copies to the Staff of the Brush Country Conservation District along with an invoice not to exceed $1,500. Currently, the district has increased the well plugging payment to $1,750.00. Brush Country has currently plugged approximately 42 wells in the 4 counties (Brooks,Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, and Jim Wells Counties) that are within the District's boundaries. The Districts General Manager (Luis "Louie" Pena) has been actively involved by serving on the TAGD's legislative committee. The Brush Country Groundwater Conservation District has held 2 workshops and seminars in the past 3 years. On July 30th,2021 the District held a training seminar along with Mr. Adam Foster who represents the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) Also in attendance as a guest speaker was Mr. Josh Cummings a consultant with Halliburton who spoke on pressure cementing of water wells. On June 7th,2022 the Brush Country Groundwater Conservation District along with the Texas Well Owner Network (TWON) presented an educational training for Texas residents who depend on household wells for their water needs. Mr. Joel Pigg, Texas A & M Agrilife Extension Service program specialist and TWON coordinator, College Station, mentioned "The program was established to help well owners become familiar with Texas groundwater resources, septic system maintenance, well maintenance and construction, and water quality and treatment," he said, "It allows them to learn more about how to improve and protect their community water resources." At this event the Brush Country Groundwater Conservation District collected and tested more than 200 water samples. Screening was done for nitrates, total dissolved solides, aresenic and bacteria.
2. Explain how this project is innovative or creative in its use of technology, personnel, etc. (200 words or less)
Brush Country's Well plugging program has ensured that the 42 water wells that have been plugged can no longer pose a threat of groundwater contamination to the areas where these wells have been plugged. These water wells that have been plugged will no longer be able to pose a threat to humans or animals being trapped within them. Brush Country has also recently purchased a new database with Halff and Associates and is adding water quality on all wells registered, therefore having a baseline which will show how the plugging of old abandoned and dilapidated wells will impact the water quality in a positive way.
3. Describe how the project improves the environment and how you specifically measure or evaluate its success. Include specific outcomes recorded or observed so far (for example, gallons of water conserved, pounds of diverted waste or resources conserved, and year-to-year comparison). (300 words or less)
Brush Country's GCD, by purchasing a new database, and by collecting water samples on a yearly basis will now be able to have a baseline and will be able to show how the water quality or TDS is improving. Brush Country also collects and screens water quality at their lab in Falfurrias. Also, annually, Brush Country collects 20 water samples and sends them off to the Agrilife center in College Station for annaul testing. The results are then downloaded into their new database which will allow a queery and will produce results.
4. Does the project, or any of its technology, serve as a model for others? In addition, how will this project impact future environmental quality? (200 words or less)
Brush Country's GCD intends to lead the state in the plugging of wells and strongly urges neighboring districts to implement a similar plugging program, thus having a positive impact on the environment.
5. Did this project have any educational, training, and outreach components? If so, please explain and provide the total number of people educated, trained, or reached. (200 words or less)
In the past three years, Brush Country's Groundwater District well plugging program has sponsored and held two training seminars. The Brush Country Groundwater Conservation District has held 2 workshops and seminars in the past 3 years. On July 30th,2021 the District held a training seminar along with Mr. Adam Foster who represents the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) Also in attendance as a guest speaker was Mr. Josh Cummings a consultant with Halliburton who spoke on pressure cementing of water wells. On June 7th,2022 the Brush Country Groundwater Conservation District along with the Texas Well Owner Network (TWON) presented an educational training for Texas residents who depend on household wells for their water needs. Mr. Joel Pigg, Texas A & M Agrilife Extension Service program specialist and TWON coordinator, College Station, mentioned "The program was established to help well owners become familiar with Texas groundwater resources, septic system maintenance, well maintenance and construction, and water quality and treatment," he said, "It allows them to learn more about how to improve and protect their community water resources." At this event the Brush Country Groundwater Conservation District collected and tested more than 200 water samples. Screening was done for nitrates, total dissolved solids, aresenic and bacteria.
6. Does this project involve the cooperation of different types of public, private, community, business, or citizen groups? If so, please explain the cooperative effort(s) and list all participating entities and their respective roles. (200 words or less)
By involving other state agencies, such as the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR), and also the Texas Agrilife College Station and the Texas Well Owners Network (TWON). Brush Country's Groundwater Conservation District is educating the community. Another prime example of education outreach is educating our youth. Every year, the District has purchased 450 educational booklets/pamphlets from the Texas Water Development Board Major Rivers Program. These pamphlets are distributed to our 4th and 5th graders from 7 different School District's within the boundaries of our district. They include Falfurrias Elementary, La Gloria Elementary, Premont Elementary, Ben Bolt Elementary, Orange Grove Elementary, and Hebbronville Elementary. By educating and investing in our youth the district strongly believes that it will help on our conservation and water quality issues.
7. Provide information on the project’s cost, its cost-savings, and its cost-effectiveness. If possible, give specifics. (200 words or less)
Brush Country's Groundwater Conservation District plugging program, along with the Major Rivers Program that is distributed to the local schools is a small investment for our future quality of water which is priceless.
8. Describe anything exceptional about the project (for example, is the project in response to anticipated future regulations, does it represent environmental leadership, or does it go above and beyond legal requirements?). (200 words or less)
Brush Country's Groundwater Conservation District will continue to promote and encourage landowners to apply for the well plugging program. In Texas, it is the landowners responsibility to plug or cap a deteriorated well by law. Brush Country's District believes that by having a plugging program funded by the district encourages the taxpayer to receive a benefit by applying for the well plugging program. The importance in plugging abandoned and deteriorated wells cannot be overstated, because of the potential risks of children getting trapped in abandoned wells. People still remember baby Jessica McClure who was trapped and rescued from an abandoned well in Midland, Texas.
9. Briefly describe the project’s schedule or timetable, including the start date, end date, and the dates of any major milestones. Will this be an ongoing project, and what additional resources and/or activities would allow you to improve the project? (200 words or less)
Brush Country's Groundwater Conseration District well plugging program began in October 2019 and will continue until we have exhausted our well plugging funds. Additionally, we are currently seeking other additional resources and have been actively involved in aquiring additional funding. Brush Country's Groundwater Conservation District will be seeking additional funding from the Texas Railroad Commission, or any other state agencies that may have funding available. The District will also continue supporting the Major Rivers from the Texas Water Development Board in order to provide educational outreach to our youth.
10. How did you hear about this year’s Texas Environmental Excellence Awards? (15 words or less)
Brush Country's Groundwater Conservation District learned about the Texas Environmental Excellence Awards through the TAGD newsletter.

Supplement (optional)

Use this section to show how the project improves the environment — by showing us the condition right before the project improved the environment (in the “baseline year”), and then the project’s most recent improvements to the environment.

If you have this type of data, we recommend you to use this supplement, especially if you select the Award Category Pollution Prevention or Technical/Technology. Please see our Application Instructions for help completing this section.

How did this project improve the environment?
If “Other,” describe: Total Dissolved Solids	Totals are in units of: ppm
Baseline Year	Total for the Baseline Year
2019
Year	Total for the Year	Amount Increased/Reduced by Project (Compared to Baseline Year)
2020
2021
2022	(estimate for the year)
How did this project improve the environment?
If “Other,” describe: sodium	Totals are in units of: mgl
Baseline Year	Total for the Baseline Year
2019
Year	Total for the Year	Amount Increased/Reduced by Project (Compared to Baseline Year)
2020
2021
2022	(estimate for the year)
How did this project improve the environment?
If “Other,” describe: nitrates	Totals are in units of: mgl
Baseline Year	Total for the Baseline Year
2019
Year	Total for the Year	Amount Increased/Reduced by Project (Compared to Baseline Year)
2020
2021
2022	(estimate for the year)

*For Toxics Release Inventory – Enter the total of reportable amounts in Sections 5 and 6 of Form R.

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