A new well in Erath County, TX typically costs about $10,400 to $23,100 in 2026 for a complete system, because the median new household well filed with the state since 2016 is 372 feet deep. A shallower well near 200 feet runs about $5,600 to $12,400.
Erath County, around Stephenville, Dublin, Lingleville, Bluff Dale, and Morgan Mill, is dairy and ranch country southwest of Fort Worth, 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 Erath County?
Most new household wells in Erath County are 200 to 415 feet deep, with a median of 372 feet. That comes from 1,497 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) | Erath County |
|---|---|
| Wells in the sample | 1,497 |
| Typical depth range (middle half) | 200 to 415 ft |
| Median depth | 372 ft |
| Shallowest 10% / deepest 10% | under 130 ft / over 460 ft |
| Median static water level | 247 ft below ground |
| Median pump setting | 340 ft |
| Median tested yield | 25 gallons per minute |
Static water sits about 247 feet down in a typical Erath County well, so the pump is usually set around 340 feet to ride out dry summers.
Which aquifer will my Erath County well tap?
Your well will most likely draw from the Trinity Aquifer, which the TWDB Erath County water planning summary lists for the county’s groundwater users. TWDB says the Trinity is made of several smaller aquifers, including the Paluxy, Glen Rose, and Twin Mountains (TWDB).
Erath County has about 1,500 new household wells on file with the state since 2016, so a local driller should have plenty of nearby logs to compare depths and yields.
How much does it cost to drill a well in Erath County?
Plan on about $10,400 to $23,100 for a complete well at the 372-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 (200 ft) | $5,600 to $12,400 |
| Median (372 ft) | $10,400 to $23,100 |
| Deep (415 ft) | $11,600 to $25,700 |
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. The Middle Trinity GCD registration form lists no fee; a well that needs an operating permit adds a refundable $200 deposit. 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 372-foot well at $40 per foot is $14,900. Drilling only to 200 feet at the same rate would save about $6,900 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 Erath County wells?
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).
Ask how recent wells near you tested for hardness, sulfate, and chloride, especially if you are going deeper than the neighbors.
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 Erath County?
Erath County is covered by the Middle Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, which also covers Bosque, Comanche, Coryell, and Erath counties. Every new well must be registered before drilling; once the district approves the registration of an exempt well, drilling can start right away. A well used only for household, livestock, or poultry water that cannot produce more than 25,000 gallons a day needs no permit on a tract larger than 10 acres. On 10 acres or less, it is exempt only if the tract was platted before May 11, 2004 and has not been subdivided since; otherwise the well needs an operating permit (Middle Trinity GCD rules, revised September 10, 2026). The registration form lists no fee. An operating permit application needs board approval before drilling and a refundable $200 deposit, returned within 30 days after the district receives the driller’s report (Middle Trinity GCD forms). The driller files the drilling log with the district, and new wells follow TDLR’s state location rules.
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 Trinity layer will you finish in, and how hard is the water from your recent wells near me?
- Will you register the well with the Middle Trinity GCD, and does my tract qualify as exempt?
- 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 an Erath County well pro
Tell us about your project and we will pass it to a licensed local driller who works in Erath County. Offsprig is paid by the contractor, never by you.
Related Texas well guides
Common questions
Most complete wells in Erath County should land around $10,400 to $23,100 in 2026, based on the 372-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 Erath County is 372 feet deep, and the middle half range from 200 to 415 feet. Median static water level is about 247 feet, per the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report database.
A household well in Erath County needs no permit on more than 10 acres if it pumps under 25,000 gallons a day, but it must be registered with the Middle Trinity GCD before drilling. On 10 acres or less, it is exempt only on a tract platted before May 11, 2004 and not subdivided since.
Only as an exempt well if the tract was platted before May 11, 2004 and not subdivided since, under Middle Trinity GCD rules. Otherwise you need an operating permit, which the board must approve before drilling, with a refundable $200 deposit.
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