A new well in Kerr County, TX typically costs about $15,100 to $33,500 in 2026 for a complete system, because the median new household well filed with the state since 2016 is 540 feet deep. A shallower well near 375 feet runs about $10,500 to $23,200.
Kerr County, around Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt, Center Point, and Mountain Home, is Hill Country ranch land on the upper Guadalupe 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 Kerr County?
Most new household wells in Kerr County are 375 to 660 feet deep, with a median of 540 feet. That comes from 950 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) | Kerr County |
|---|---|
| Wells in the sample | 950 |
| Typical depth range (middle half) | 375 to 660 ft |
| Median depth | 540 ft |
| Shallowest 10% / deepest 10% | under 275 ft / over 740 ft |
| Median static water level | 333 ft below ground |
| Median pump setting | 480 ft |
| Median tested yield | 20 gallons per minute |
Static water sits about 333 feet down in a typical Kerr County well, so the pump is usually set around 480 feet to ride out dry summers.
Which aquifer will my Kerr County well tap?
Your well will most likely draw from the Trinity Aquifer, which the TWDB Kerr County water planning summary lists for rural water systems along with the Edwards-Trinity (Plateau) Aquifer in the western uplands.
Kerr has the deepest static water of our Hill Country pages: the median is about 333 feet below ground, so pumps are usually set near 480 feet.
How much does it cost to drill a well in Kerr County?
Plan on about $15,100 to $33,500 for a complete well at the 540-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 (375 ft) | $10,500 to $23,200 |
| Median (540 ft) | $15,100 to $33,500 |
| Deep (660 ft) | $18,500 to $40,900 |
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. Add the Headwaters GCD’s $500 registration 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 540-foot well at $40 per foot is $21,600. Drilling only to 375 feet at the same rate would save about $6,600 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 Kerr 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).
Watch for gypsum. In the state records, 80 of 950 new household well reports in Kerr County (about 8%) flagged injurious water, and nearly all of those listed gypsum, the sulfate-bearing beds in the Glen Rose layer. Ask your driller how they case and seal that zone off, and test for sulfate after the well is finished.
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 Kerr County?
Kerr County is covered by the Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District. A household or livestock well that cannot pump more than 25,000 gallons a day is exempt from permits, but you must file the registration form, with a survey, proof of ownership, and the fee, at least 10 days before drilling (HGCD rules, May 14, 2025). Tract size depends on when the land was subdivided: under 5 acres is allowed if the tract was created before January 10, 2018; 5 acres for tracts created January 10, 2018 through August 9, 2023 (7 acres in the East Kerr Management Zone for June 15, 2022 through August 9, 2023); and 10 acres for tracts created on or after August 10, 2023. A tract that is or can be connected to a public water system needs 15 acres or more. The registration form lists a $500 fee and requires the well to be 75 feet from the nearest property line and 50 feet (Trinity) or 100 feet (Edwards) from a septic tank and disposal area (HGCD exempt well registration, revised July 21, 2025).
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?
- How will you seal off gypsum or other poor-quality zones, and what have your recent wells near me tested for sulfate?
- Will you file the Headwaters GCD registration at least 10 days ahead, and does my tract meet the size rule?
- 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 Kerr County well pro
Tell us about your project and we will pass it to a licensed local driller who works in Kerr County. Offsprig is paid by the contractor, never by you.
Related Texas well guides
Common questions
Most complete wells in Kerr County should land around $15,100 to $33,500 in 2026, based on the 540-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 Kerr County is 540 feet deep, and the middle half range from 375 to 660 feet. Median static water level is about 333 feet, per the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report database.
A household well in Kerr County is permit-exempt if it pumps under 25,000 gallons a day, but you must register it with the Headwaters GCD at least 10 days before drilling ($500). Tracts created since August 10, 2023 need 10 acres, and wells must sit 75 feet from property lines.
Gypsum beds in the Glen Rose layer of the Trinity carry sulfate. About 8% of new household well reports filed with the state since 2016 in Kerr County flagged injurious water, nearly all gypsum, per TWDB driller reports. Ask how the driller will seal that zone off.
Sources: depth, water level, yield, pump, and injurious-water 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 sources linked above. District rules and fees were checked on each district’s own site on October 29, 2026. 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