A new well in Fort Bend County, TX typically costs about $7,400 to $16,400 in 2026 for a complete system, because the median new household well filed with the state since 2016 is 265 feet deep. A shallower well near 210 feet runs about $5,900 to $13,000.
Fort Bend County, around Fulshear, Needville, Rosenberg, Richmond, Simonton, and Orchard, sits southwest of Houston on the Gulf Coast plain, 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 Fort Bend County?
Most new household wells in Fort Bend County are 210 to 320 feet deep, with a median of 265 feet. That comes from 2,056 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) | Fort Bend County |
|---|---|
| Wells in the sample | 2,056 |
| Typical depth range (middle half) | 210 to 320 ft |
| Median depth | 265 ft |
| Shallowest 10% / deepest 10% | under 160 ft / over 360 ft |
| Median static water level | 60 ft below ground |
| Median pump setting | 140 ft |
| Median tested yield | 60 gallons per minute |
Static water sits about 60 feet down in a typical Fort Bend County well, so the pump is usually set around 140 feet to ride out dry summers.
Which aquifer will my Fort Bend County well tap?
Your well will most likely draw from the Chicot or Evangeline sands of the Gulf Coast Aquifer, which the TWDB Fort Bend County water planning summary lists for rural water systems.
Pumping has pulled water levels down. The Fort Bend Subsidence District says levels in Chicot/Evangeline wells in the northern part of the county fell more than 160 feet from 1990 to 2021, and TWDB counts Fort Bend among the counties where declines have caused land subsidence (TWDB).
How much does it cost to drill a well in Fort Bend County?
Plan on about $7,400 to $16,400 for a complete well at the 265-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 (210 ft) | $5,900 to $13,000 |
| Median (265 ft) | $7,400 to $16,400 |
| Deep (320 ft) | $9,000 to $19,800 |
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. Small single-family wells pay no subsidence district fee; a permitted well starts with a $200 application fee. 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 265-foot well at $40 per foot is $10,600. Drilling only to 210 feet at the same rate would save about $2,200 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 Fort Bend County wells?
Water quality is generally good in this part of the Gulf Coast Aquifer, where TWDB says dissolved solids are usually under 500 mg/L, though it varies with depth and place (TWDB).
Arsenic is the one to test for. A U.S. Geological Survey study of 91 Houston-area supply wells in the Evangeline and Chicot aquifers found arsenic from 0.58 to 23.5 micrograms per liter, with a median of 2.7, so most wells were well under the federal limit of 10 but some were over it (USGS SIR 2015-5071). A later USGS survey of the whole Texas Gulf Coast aquifer system found arsenic and manganese were the only trace elements above human-health benchmarks (USGS Fact Sheet 2020-3010).
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 Fort Bend County?
Fort Bend County is covered by the Fort Bend Subsidence District, which regulates pumping to stop land subsidence. A well with casing under 5 inches that serves only one single-family home is excluded from permits, but only where the property has no available alternative water supply; a new well on a lot inside a platted subdivision with water service available must get a drilling and operating permit (FBSD Rule 5.8). Every new well must be registered before drilling, and the district gives a preliminary determination within five business days. If you do need a permit, the new-well application fee is $200 plus a permit fee based on authorized pumping (FBSD fees).
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.
Do farm, irrigation, and commercial wells in Fort Bend County need a permit?
Usually, yes. The Fort Bend Subsidence District only excludes a well with casing under 5 inches that serves one single-family home on property with no available alternative water supply. Any other well, including a farm, irrigation, or commercial well, needs a drilling and operating permit before it is drilled (FBSD Rules 5.2 and 5.8).
The home exclusion does cover normal outdoor use at that house: the district counts landscape irrigation, a garden, and water for domestic livestock as domestic use (Rule 5.8). Permitted wells generally need a water meter and monthly pumpage records, permits usually run one year (the board can set up to five), and permit holders file a pumpage report by January 31 each year (Rules 5.2, 5.3, 6.2, and 8.1).
What happens during a water well installation in Fort Bend County?
- Registration. You or your driller file the district’s new-well registration before drilling. Staff decide within five business days whether the well is excluded, and an excluded well can be drilled as soon as the registration is approved (FBSD Rule 5.1).
- Permit, if needed. A well that is not excluded needs an application, the application fee, and a hearing before it can be drilled (Rule 5.2).
- Drilling and casing. A TDLR-licensed driller drills to the chosen sand, typically 210 to 320 feet here, then sets casing and screen.
- Pump and pressure system. A licensed pump installer sets the pump (the county median setting is about 140 feet) and connects the pressure tank and switch.
- Report and first test. The driller files a State Well Report, and you should test the water, including arsenic, before the family drinks it.
How do I know if my Fort Bend County well needs maintenance?
Test it every year and look over the wellhead regularly. The EPA advises testing a private well annually for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH, and testing right away after a flood, after any repair, or when the water’s taste, odor, or color changes (EPA). In Fort Bend County, add arsenic to that list because of the USGS findings above.
At the wellhead, the EPA says to check for a cracked or corroded casing, a broken or missing cap, and settling or cracks in the surface seal. If floodwater reached the well, do not drink from it and have a well contractor disinfect it before the pump goes back on (EPA). Pressure that drops or swings, a pump that cycles on and off quickly, or sputtering taps usually point to the pump, pressure tank, or switch; our well pump replacement cost guide shows how to tell which.
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 sand will you screen, and will you test for arsenic and manganese after development?
- Does my lot qualify for the small-well exclusion, and will you register the well with the Fort Bend Subsidence District?
- 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.
Get matched with a licensed Fort Bend County well driller
Tell us about your project and we will pass it to a licensed local driller who works in Fort Bend County. Offsprig is paid by the contractor, never by you.
Related Texas well guides
Common questions
Most complete wells in Fort Bend County should land around $7,400 to $16,400 in 2026, based on the 265-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 Fort Bend County is 265 feet deep, and the middle half range from 210 to 320 feet. Median static water level is about 60 feet, per the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report database.
A household well in Fort Bend County with casing under 5 inches that serves one home is excluded from Fort Bend Subsidence District permits if no other water supply is available. It still must be registered before drilling. In a platted subdivision with water service, a permit is required.
Yes, at the county scale. The Fort Bend Subsidence District says Chicot/Evangeline water levels in the north fell more than 160 feet from 1990 to 2021. That is why it permits most wells. Small single-family wells are excluded when no other supply is available.
Usually yes. The Fort Bend Subsidence District only excludes a well with casing under 5 inches that serves one home with no available alternative water supply. Farm, irrigation, and commercial wells need a drilling and operating permit first, and permitted wells generally need a meter and monthly pumpage records.
Sources: depth, water level, yield, and pump 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 and district reports linked above; older studies reflect conditions when sampled. 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