A new well in Washington County, TX typically costs about $6,600 to $14,600 in 2026 for a complete system, because the median new household well filed with the state since 2016 is 235 feet deep. A shallower well near 188 feet runs about $5,300 to $11,700.
Washington County, around Brenham, Burton, Chappell Hill, Independence, and Washington, is rolling ranch country between Austin and Houston, bounded on the east by the Brazos River, 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 Washington County?
Most new household wells in Washington County are 188 to 292 feet deep, with a median of 235 feet. That comes from 1,866 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) | Washington County |
|---|---|
| Wells in the sample | 1,866 |
| Typical depth range (middle half) | 188 to 292 ft |
| Median depth | 235 ft |
| Shallowest 10% / deepest 10% | under 150 ft / over 378 ft |
| Median static water level | 100 ft below ground |
| Median pump setting | 180 ft |
| Median tested yield | 30 gallons per minute |
Static water sits about 100 feet down in a typical Washington County well, so the pump is usually set around 180 feet to ride out dry summers.
Which aquifer will my Washington County well tap?
Your well will most likely draw from the Gulf Coast Aquifer System, which the TWDB Washington County water planning summary lists for nearly every water system in the county. The aquifer is a stack of sand layers, the Jasper, Evangeline, and Chicot, separated by clays (TWDB).
Along the Brazos, the shallow Brazos River Alluvium is used mainly for irrigation; TWDB describes its water as very hard and fresh to slightly saline.
How much does it cost to drill a well in Washington County?
Plan on about $6,600 to $14,600 for a complete well at the 235-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 (188 ft) | $5,300 to $11,700 |
| Median (235 ft) | $6,600 to $14,600 |
| Deep (292 ft) | $8,200 to $18,100 |
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 groundwater district fee in Washington County today. 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 235-foot well at $40 per foot is $9,400. Drilling only to 188 feet at the same rate would save about $1,900 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 Washington County wells?
TWDB says Gulf Coast Aquifer water is generally good in the central and northeastern parts of the aquifer, with dissolved solids usually under 500 mg/L, though quality varies with depth and place (TWDB).
A U.S. Geological Survey 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 Washington County?
Washington County has no groundwater conservation district, so a household well needs no local groundwater permit, registration, or district fee (TWDB district map). That could change. In December 2025, county commissioners attended a workshop at the Bluebonnet GCD in Navasota as the county researched groundwater districts, and the county said it wanted to understand the options and impacts before choosing a path (KWHI).
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 sand will you screen, and will you test for arsenic and manganese after development?
- Do you file the State Well Report with TDLR, and will I get a copy?
- 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 Washington County well pro
Tell us about your project and we will pass it to a licensed local driller who works in Washington County. Offsprig is paid by the contractor, never by you.
Related Texas well guides
Common questions
Most complete wells in Washington County should land around $6,600 to $14,600 in 2026, based on the 235-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 Washington County is 235 feet deep, and the middle half range from 188 to 292 feet. Median static water level is about 100 feet, per the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report database.
No groundwater permit or district fee is needed for a household well in Washington County as of October 2026, because the county has no groundwater conservation district. Your TDLR-licensed driller still files a State Well Report. The county has been researching whether to form or join one.
TWDB says Gulf Coast Aquifer water here is generally good, with dissolved solids usually under 500 mg/L. A USGS survey of the Texas Gulf Coast aquifer system found arsenic and manganese were the trace elements above health benchmarks, so test for both and retest yearly.
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 USGS sources linked above. 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