Buying Property With a Private Water Well in Polk County
Outside town, the water may come from a well on the lot. Here is what to find out about it before you buy.
General information, not legal, engineering, tax or real estate advice. PolkTX is not a real estate brokerage and its publisher is not a licensed agent. Confirm requirements with the office that handles them.
What it is and why it matters when buying
Homes outside the cities in Polk County usually get water in one of two ways. Some draw from a private well on the property. Others are served by a water supply corporation or another rural system. Find out which one before anything else, because the questions are different.
A private well makes the owner responsible for the water. No utility tests it or fixes it. The state keeps records of most wells, including who drilled them and how deep they go. Only a lab test tells you what is in the water.
An unused well is its own issue. Texas rules make the landowner of record responsible for plugging a well that is abandoned or has deteriorated. That duty goes with the land when it changes hands.
What to check before you buy
- Confirm the water source: a private well, a water supply corporation or a city system. The PUC map shows which utility serves an area.
- Find the driller’s report. Wells reported since 2003 are in the TWDB Groundwater Data Viewer. Older reports are in the TCEQ Water Well Report Viewer.
- Have a lab test the water before closing, at least for bacteria and nitrates.
- Learn the age of the pump, the pressure tank and any filters or treatment equipment.
- Walk the land for other wells: old casings, capped pipes or covered hand-dug wells.
- Check lot size against the county septic rule: at least one acre per septic system where a private well is on the property, and half an acre where central water is provided.
- Planning to drill a new well? It has to be registered with the Lower Trinity Groundwater Conservation District before drilling starts.
Questions to ask the seller or listing agent
- Is the property on a private well? Who drilled it, and what year?
- Do you have the driller’s report or any earlier water test results?
- How old are the pump and the pressure tank? Have either been replaced?
- Is there water treatment equipment, and does it stay with the property?
- Are there other wells on the land, in use or not?
- Has the well ever gone dry or lost pressure?
Who handles it in Polk County
Lower Trinity Groundwater Conservation District
Registration of a new water well before it is drilled. Polk County has required this since January 9, 2009.
Source: Polk County Permits page
Polk County Permit Department
Septic (OSSF) permits, development permits, 911 addresses and floodplain questions outside city limits. For floodplain, ask for the Floodplain Administrator.
Source: Polk County Permits page
Look it up yourself
Official sources only.
- TWDB Groundwater Data ViewerDriller reports for wells reported since 2003.
- TCEQ Water Well Report ViewerDriller reports for wells drilled before 2003.
- PUC water and sewer service area mapWhich water utility holds the service area for a location.
- TDLR guidance on abandoned wellsHow to recognize an abandoned or deteriorated well, and who must plug it.
How to find a licensed professional
PolkTX does not recommend or list contractors. To check that someone holds a current Texas license, use the state’s own search:
- TDLR license searchWater well drillers and pump installers.Choose “Water Well Drillers, Pump Installers” as the license type.
- TREC license holder searchHome inspectors.Search under Inspectors.
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