A new well in San Jacinto County, TX typically costs about $5,900 to $13,000 in 2026 for a complete system, because the median new household well filed with the state since 2016 is 210 feet deep. A shallower well near 160 feet runs about $4,500 to $9,900.
San Jacinto County, around Coldspring, Shepherd, Oakhurst, and Pointblank, is East Texas pine forest around Lake Livingston and the Sam Houston National Forest, 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 San Jacinto County?
Most new household wells in San Jacinto County are 160 to 286 feet deep, with a median of 210 feet. That comes from 747 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) | San Jacinto County |
|---|---|
| Wells in the sample | 747 |
| Typical depth range (middle half) | 160 to 286 ft |
| Median depth | 210 ft |
| Shallowest 10% / deepest 10% | under 120 ft / over 358 ft |
| Median static water level | 55 ft below ground |
| Median pump setting | 147 ft |
| Median tested yield | 30 gallons per minute |
Static water sits about 55 feet down in a typical San Jacinto County well, so the pump is usually set around 147 feet to ride out dry summers.
Which aquifer will my San Jacinto County well tap?
Your well will most likely draw from the Gulf Coast Aquifer, which the TWDB San Jacinto County water planning summary lists for nearly every water system, with the Yegua-Jackson Aquifer along the northern edge.
Most household wells here are shallower than in Montgomery County to the west; see the table above.
How much does it cost to drill a well in San Jacinto County?
Plan on about $5,900 to $13,000 for a complete well at the 210-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 (160 ft) | $4,500 to $9,900 |
| Median (210 ft) | $5,900 to $13,000 |
| Deep (286 ft) | $8,000 to $17,700 |
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. There is no Lower Trinity GCD fee for an exempt household well. 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 210-foot well at $40 per foot is $8,400. Drilling only to 160 feet at the same rate would save about $2,000 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 San Jacinto County wells?
Gulf Coast Aquifer water in the northeastern part of the aquifer is generally good, with dissolved solids usually under 500 mg/L (TWDB). In the Yegua-Jackson, TWDB says the sands are mostly fresh but quality varies a lot, the water gets more mineralized with depth, and iron and manganese can run high (TWDB).
A USGS survey of the Texas Gulf Coast aquifer system found arsenic and manganese were the only trace elements above human-health benchmarks (USGS Fact Sheet 2020-3010), so include both in your first test.
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 San Jacinto County?
San Jacinto County is covered by the Lower Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, which also covers Polk County. A household or livestock well that cannot produce more than 25,000 gallons a day (17.36 gpm) needs no permit (LTGCD rules adopted January 23, 2026), but it must be registered and given a registration number before drilling, and the State Well Report is due within 60 days. The 2026-2027 fee schedule lists no fees for exempt residential wells (LTGCD fees), and the residential form covers wells with an outside casing of 4 inches or less (registration form). District guidelines put a pressure-cemented household well at least 5 feet from the property line (50 feet if not pressure cemented), 50 feet from a septic tank, and 100 feet from a drain field (LTGCD spacing).
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?
- Will you test for iron, manganese, and arsenic after development?
- Will you register the well with the Lower Trinity GCD and get the registration number before drilling?
- 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 San Jacinto County should land around $5,900 to $13,000 in 2026, based on the 210-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 San Jacinto County is 210 feet deep, and the middle half range from 160 to 286 feet. Median static water level is about 55 feet, per the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report database.
No permit or fee is needed for a household well in San Jacinto County that pumps under 25,000 gallons a day, but it must be registered with the Lower Trinity GCD and get a registration number before drilling. The driller files the State Well Report within 60 days.
It can be. TWDB says the Yegua-Jackson sands along the county’s north edge can run high in iron and manganese, while the Gulf Coast Aquifer is usually fresh. A USGS survey found arsenic and manganese were the trace elements most often above health benchmarks, so test for all three.
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