A new well in Fayette 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 195 feet runs about $5,500 to $12,100.
Fayette County, around La Grange, Schulenburg, Flatonia, Fayetteville, and Round Top, is rolling farm and ranch country on the Colorado River between Austin and Houston, 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 Fayette County?
Most new household wells in Fayette County are 195 to 360 feet deep, with a median of 265 feet. That comes from 1,298 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) | Fayette County |
|---|---|
| Wells in the sample | 1,298 |
| Typical depth range (middle half) | 195 to 360 ft |
| Median depth | 265 ft |
| Shallowest 10% / deepest 10% | under 145 ft / over 480 ft |
| Median static water level | 98 ft below ground |
| Median pump setting | 170 ft |
| Median tested yield | 40 gallons per minute |
Static water sits about 98 feet down in a typical Fayette County well, so the pump is usually set around 170 feet to ride out dry summers.
Which aquifer will my Fayette County well tap?
Your well will most likely draw from one of several stacked sands. The TWDB Fayette County water planning summary lists the Gulf Coast Aquifer System, the Yegua-Jackson Aquifer, and the Sparta Aquifer among the county’s groundwater sources.
The same summary shows La Grange and Flatonia supplied from the Yegua-Jackson. Which sand your driller targets is the main reason Fayette County depths range so widely.
How much does it cost to drill a well in Fayette 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 (195 ft) | $5,500 to $12,100 |
| Median (265 ft) | $7,400 to $16,400 |
| Deep (360 ft) | $10,100 to $22,300 |
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. Fayette County GCD registration is free. 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 195 feet at the same rate would save about $2,800 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 Fayette County wells?
Quality depends on the sand. TWDB says Yegua-Jackson water varies a lot with the sediments, is usually fresh in the sand units (under 50 to 1,000 mg/L dissolved solids), and becomes highly mineralized with depth (TWDB). In the Sparta, TWDB says water near the outcrop averages about 300 mg/L dissolved solids but excess iron is common (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 Fayette County?
Fayette County is covered by the Fayette County Groundwater Conservation District, and every new well must be registered with it before drilling. Registration is free (district FAQ). Under rules revised May 4, 2026, a household, livestock, or poultry well is exempt from permits if it sits on more than 10 acres and cannot produce more than 25,000 gallons a day, with one exempt well per 10 acres. On a tract under 10 acres, a well registered after May 4, 2026 is limited to one well on the property, with pump capability capped at 15 gpm on 6 to 10 acres, 13 gpm on 2 to 6 acres, and 10 gpm under 2 acres. New wells must be at least 50 feet from the property line and from existing wells, and must have a sanitary well seal with an inspection port (FCGCD rules, May 4, 2026). The driller files the State Well Report within 60 days, plus a district Pump Installation Report (rules summary for drillers).
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 finish in, and will you test for iron, manganese, and arsenic after development?
- Will you file the Fayette County GCD registration before drilling, and does my tract fall under the small-tract pump limits?
- 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 Fayette County well pro
Tell us about your project and we will pass it to a licensed local driller who works in Fayette County. Offsprig is paid by the contractor, never by you.
Related Texas well guides
Common questions
Most complete wells in Fayette 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 Fayette County is 265 feet deep, and the middle half range from 195 to 360 feet. Median static water level is about 98 feet, per the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report database.
Every new well in Fayette County must be registered with the Fayette County GCD before drilling, and registration is free. A household well on more than 10 acres that pumps under 25,000 gallons a day needs no permit. Smaller tracts get one well with a pump capped at 10 to 15 gpm.
Yes. Under Fayette County GCD rules adopted May 4, 2026, you get one well on the property, with pump capability capped at 15 gpm on 6 to 10 acres, 13 gpm on 2 to 6 acres, and 10 gpm under 2 acres. Register it free before drilling and keep it 50 feet from property lines.
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