A new well in Medina County, TX typically costs about $14,600 to $32,200 in 2026 for a complete system, because the median new household well filed with the state since 2016 is 520 feet deep. A shallower well near 320 feet runs about $9,000 to $19,800.
Medina County, around Hondo, Castroville, Devine, D’Hanis, Natalia, and LaCoste, runs from the Hill Country near Rio Medina south across farm country west of San Antonio, where many rural homes outside a water supply corporation’s lines rely on a private well. Below are the real local depths from state well records, the water-quality issues to plan for, the permit rules, and a free way to reach a licensed local driller.
How deep are wells in Medina County?
Most new household wells in Medina County are 320 to 810 feet deep, with a median of 520 feet. That comes from 825 new domestic wells drillers reported to the state from 2016 through October 2026 in the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report database.
| Measure (new domestic wells, 2016 to 2026) | Medina County |
|---|---|
| Wells in the sample | 825 |
| Typical depth range (middle half) | 320 to 810 ft |
| Median depth | 520 ft |
| Shallowest 10% / deepest 10% | under 210 ft / over 970 ft |
| Median static water level | 242 ft below ground |
| Median pump setting | 400 ft |
| Median tested yield | 20 gallons per minute |
Static water sits about 242 feet down in a typical Medina County well, so the pump is usually set around 400 feet to ride out dry summers.
Which aquifer will my Medina County well tap?
Your well will most likely draw from the Edwards (Balcones Fault Zone) Aquifer, the Trinity Aquifer, or, in the south, the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer. The TWDB Medina County water planning summary lists all three for rural water systems.
That mix is why Medina depths spread so widely: the middle half of new household wells run 320 to 810 feet.
How much does it cost to drill a well in Medina County?
Plan on about $14,600 to $32,200 for a complete well at the 520-foot median depth. Angi’s 2026 guide puts Texas well drilling at $28 to $62 per foot (Angi), and HomeGuide puts a complete installation, including casing, pump, wiring, and permits, at $30 to $80 or more per foot (HomeGuide). These are estimates from national cost guides applied to local depths, not local quotes.
| Well depth | Estimated 2026 cost at $28 to $62/ft |
|---|---|
| Shallow (320 ft) | $9,000 to $19,800 |
| Median (520 ft) | $14,600 to $32,200 |
| Deep (810 ft) | $22,700 to $50,200 |
Budget separately for water treatment. HomeGuide lists well-water filtration systems at $800 to $4,000 and water softeners at $1,200 to $3,800. Add the Medina County GCD’s $10 registration, plus $25 for an Edwards Aquifer Authority construction permit if you drill into the Edwards. For how the line items break down, see what it costs to drill a well in Texas. If your pump ever needs replacing, here is Texas well pump replacement cost.
Worked example: a 520-foot well at $40 per foot is $20,800. Drilling only to 320 feet at the same rate would save about $8,000 up front, but only if the shallower zone gives enough good water. Ask the driller what nearby wells at that depth produced before you choose.
What water quality problems are common in Medina County wells?
In the Edwards, TWDB says the water is hard but fresh, under 500 mg/L dissolved solids, but fast recharge through karst makes it vulnerable to contamination from runoff (TWDB), so test for bacteria as well as minerals.
TWDB says Trinity Aquifer water is generally fresh but very hard where the aquifer is at or near the surface, and that dissolved solids, sulfate, and chloride tend to rise as the aquifer gets deeper (TWDB).
Watch for gypsum. In the state records, 152 of 825 new household well reports in Medina County (about 18%) flagged injurious water, and nearly all of those listed gypsum, the sulfate-bearing beds in the Glen Rose layer. Ask your driller how they case and seal that zone off, and test for sulfate after the well is finished.
For reference, the EPA’s secondary (non-health) guidelines are 0.3 mg/L for iron, 250 mg/L for sulfate and chloride, 500 mg/L for dissolved solids, and a pH of 6.5 to 8.5 (EPA). The Texas Well Owner Network guide recommends testing a new well and retesting yearly. If you plan a tankless water heater, read tankless water heaters on well water.
Do I need a permit to drill a well in Medina County?
Medina County is covered by the Medina County Groundwater Conservation District. A household or livestock well on a tract larger than 10 acres that cannot pump more than 25,000 gallons a day is exempt from permits, but it must be registered, and the registration and payment must reach the district before drilling. On a tract smaller than 10 acres, the same well needs a district well drilling permit, though no operating permit (MCGCD rules, through July 16, 2025). New wells must be at least 50 feet from any neighbor’s property line, and the registration form asks for 100 feet from the septic system. The exempt registration fee is $10 (MCGCD exempt well registration), and the driller files the drilling log within 60 days. If your well will tap the Edwards, the Edwards Aquifer Authority also applies: every Edwards well must be registered, and drilling into or through the Edwards needs a $25 well construction permit (EAA).
Statewide, anyone who drills a water well or installs a well pump must hold a license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the well must meet TDLR’s minimum distances from septic systems and other contamination sources, and the driller files a State Well Report for every new well. Those reports are the records behind the depth table above. Septic (OSSF) permits are separate; see aerobic vs conventional septic in Texas.
What should I ask a driller before I hire?
- Are you licensed by TDLR as a water well driller and pump installer? (Check the number at the TDLR license search.)
- What depth have your last few wells near my property reached?
- How do you price it: per foot, or a package with casing, pump, tank, and wiring included?
- Which aquifer will you finish in, and how will you handle gypsum or sulfate water if you hit it?
- Will you register the well with the Medina County GCD, and do I also need an Edwards Aquifer Authority permit?
- What happens if the first hole does not produce enough water?
If the well tests low, a storage tank can smooth it out; see storage tanks for low-yield wells. For outages, see sizing a generator for a well pump.
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Related Texas well guides
Common questions
Most complete wells in Medina County should land around $14,600 to $32,200 in 2026, based on the 520-foot median depth of new domestic wells in state records and Angi’s $28 to $62 per foot Texas range. Treatment and district fees are extra.
The median new household well reported to the state from 2016 to 2026 in Medina County is 520 feet deep, and the middle half range from 320 to 810 feet. Median static water level is about 242 feet, per the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report database.
A household well in Medina County is permit-exempt on more than 10 acres if it pumps under 25,000 gallons a day, but you must register it with the Medina County GCD before drilling ($10). Smaller tracts need a district drilling permit. Edwards wells also need a $25 EAA permit.
Gypsum beds in the Glen Rose layer of the Trinity carry sulfate. About 18% of new household well reports filed with the state since 2016 in Medina County flagged injurious water, nearly all gypsum, per TWDB driller reports. Ask how the driller will seal that zone off.
Sources: depth, water level, yield, pump, and injurious-water data are Offsprig’s analysis of the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report download (pulled October 2026; new wells with proposed use “Domestic,” completed 2016 or later). Water-quality figures come from the TWDB sources linked above. District rules and fees were checked on each district’s own site on October 29, 2026. Costs are estimates from Angi and HomeGuide 2026 per-foot ranges, not quotes. Always confirm current rules with TDLR and your groundwater district.
Updated October 2026 · By Paul Michael