texas water well drilling requirements

2023-06-21

Depending on where you reside in Texas, water well drilling regulations may fluctuate. While some regions require a permit for any and all drilling activities, other regions do not. Additionally, if you plan to drill deeper than 150 feet, a permit is typically required in all cases.

If you’re located in an area that requires permission, submitting your request to the county clerk is essential. Along with the application, you’ll need to provide a plat map of the intended location. This detailed chart must highlight the boundaries of the property, precisely show where the well will be and denote the target drilling depth. Remember to add a $100 fee as part of the filing.

After acceptance of your application, you must acquire the services of a qualified well driller. Following the completion of the drilling process, this specialist should then present a well log to the county clerk with the following particulars:

All the particulars of the drilling process can be found here, including the name and location of the driller, who owns the property, when the well was created, its depth and what equipment was used to construct it – be it a water well, an oil well, or something else entirely.

The reservoir of the well (i.e., the capacity of water extractable from the well)

Once the drill-work is completed, to make the well usable for the public, the county clerk is responsible for conducting a meticulous inspection and rendering a permit that needs to be posted clearly near the wellhead.

Although a permit is not a prerequisite in some counties, hiring a licensed well driller is still essential. After having finished their work, the driller will assess the project and forward a well log to the county clerk containing fundamental details, some of which entail:

The driller’s contact information, the owner of the property, and the date, depth, and type of drilling equipment and well are all essential details when it comes to drilling. Knowing all of these elements is key to ensuring successful results from any drill operation.

The total quantity of liquid that is able to be drawn from the well is referred to as its yield.

Once the drilling of the well is complete, the county clerk will make their inspection and subsequently furnish a certificate of successful completion. This certificate must then be put on display in a visible area on the wellhead.

Although you may not require a permit to construct a water well in your county, obtaining one from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) might still be a requirement. The TCEQ is responsible for controlling the development of water wells in order to safeguard the state’s water sources.

If you require further information regarding the desires of the state in regards to drilling water wells, it is advised that you speak to the county clerk or contact the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.