A new well in Somervell County, TX typically costs about $13,400 to $29,800 in 2026 for a complete system, because the median new household well filed with the state since 2016 is 480 feet deep. A shallower well near 340 feet runs about $9,500 to $21,100.
Somervell County, around Glen Rose, Rainbow, and Nemo, is a small county on the Paluxy and Brazos rivers 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 Somervell County?
Most new household wells in Somervell County are 340 to 580 feet deep, with a median of 480 feet. That comes from 149 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) | Somervell County |
|---|---|
| Wells in the sample | 149 |
| Typical depth range (middle half) | 340 to 580 ft |
| Median depth | 480 ft |
| Shallowest 10% / deepest 10% | under 240 ft / over 700 ft |
| Median static water level | 293 ft below ground |
| Median pump setting | 426 ft |
| Median tested yield | 15 gallons per minute |
Static water sits about 293 feet down in a typical Somervell County well, so the pump is usually set around 426 feet to ride out dry summers.
Which aquifer will my Somervell County well tap?
Your well will most likely draw from the Trinity Aquifer, which the TWDB Somervell County water planning summary lists for the county’s groundwater users.
Somervell wells are deep relative to the water table; the median static water level is close to 300 feet, so pumps sit deep.
How much does it cost to drill a well in Somervell County?
Plan on about $13,400 to $29,800 for a complete well at the 480-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 (340 ft) | $9,500 to $21,100 |
| Median (480 ft) | $13,400 to $29,800 |
| Deep (580 ft) | $16,200 to $36,000 |
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 Prairielands GCD’s $500 registration fee plus county recording costs. 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 480-foot well at $40 per foot is $19,200. Drilling only to 340 feet at the same rate would save about $5,600 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 Somervell 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).
Deeper wells can mean more mineralized water, so ask what nearby wells at your planned depth tested for.
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 Somervell County?
Somervell County is covered by the Prairielands Groundwater Conservation District, which also covers Ellis, Hill, and Johnson counties. You need the district’s registration approval before drilling. A new well used solely for household, livestock, or poultry water with a production capacity of 17.36 gpm or less needs no permit, meter, or water-use fees. Every new well needs a tract of at least 2 acres, with one well per 2 acres (2 acres per household for a shared domestic well), and must meet the district’s spacing rules (Prairielands GCD rules summary, effective August 17, 2026). The well registration fee is $500 per new well, non-refundable, and the driller’s completion report is due within 60 days (Prairielands well registration). County clerk recording fees are billed at actual cost plus 10% (fee schedule adopted July 20, 2026).
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 what have your recent wells near me tested for sulfate and chloride?
- Will you file the Prairielands GCD registration, and does my tract meet the 2-acre and spacing rules?
- 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 Somervell County well pro
Tell us about your project and we will pass it to a licensed local driller who works in Somervell County. Offsprig is paid by the contractor, never by you.
Related Texas well guides
Common questions
Most complete wells in Somervell County should land around $13,400 to $29,800 in 2026, based on the 480-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 Somervell County is 480 feet deep, and the middle half range from 340 to 580 feet. Median static water level is about 293 feet, per the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report database.
A household well in Somervell County that pumps 17.36 gpm or less needs no permit, but the Prairielands GCD must approve its registration before drilling. The fee is $500, and you need at least 2 acres per well (2 acres per household served).
Water levels are deep. The median static water level in new household wells since 2016 is about 293 feet, so drillers go to a median of 480 feet and set pumps around 426 feet, per TWDB driller reports. The median tested yield is 15 gallons per minute.
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