WELL: A well means any facility, device, or method used to withdraw groundwater supply. The well owner, well operator, or any other person acting on behalf of the well owner must obtain a permit before a well may be drilled or operated. A well must be permitted prior to drilling and must remain permitted unless and until the well plumbing and power source are disconnected from the wellhead or the well casing is capped, or the well is plugged. Wells must be capped or plugged in accordance with Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation rules, 16 Tex. Admin. Code § 76.104 (as amended).
EXCLUSIONS AND EXEMPTIONS: A well with a casing diameter of less than five inches that serves only a single-family dwelling is excluded from the permit requirements of these Rules. Serving only a single-family dwelling means the well supplies groundwater for domestic use within one home on property without an available alternative water supply. Domestic use includes water used inside the home for any purpose and may also include use outside the home for landscape irrigation, garden irrigation, or providing water to domestic livestock. A new well to be located on property that has an available alternative water supply and is located inside a platted subdivision does not qualify for this exemption and must obtain a drilling and operating permit in accordance with District Rules. The permit requirements do not apply to: (i) windmills serving a well with a casing diameter of four inches nominal or less, (ii) monitoring wells, (iii) leachate wells (iv) extraction wells, (v) injection wells, or (vi) dewatering wells.
NEW WELLS: All new wells, except leachate wells, extraction wells, injection wells, monitoring wells, and dewatering wells, must be registered by the well owner, well operator, or water well driller prior to being drilled. Registration may be submitted by mail or electronically using a form provided by the District. The District staff shall review the registration and make a preliminary determination as to whether the well meets the exclusions or exemptions provided in District Rules, and shall inform the registrant of that determination within five business days. If the preliminary determination is that the well is excluded or exempt, the registrant may begin drilling immediately upon receiving the approved registration. It shall be a violation of these Rules for a well owner, well operator, or water well driller to drill any well without first filing the approved registration form with the District.
For more information, please review our District Rules.