Published · By the Check the Land team
How to check water in five steps
- Check for a public system. Ask the county or the local water utility whether a line runs along the road and what a connection costs. A free preview here shows the distance to the nearest mapped public water service area.
- Look at nearby wells. Most states keep well-driller logs online, with depth, yield and the rock drilled through. Neighbours' wells are the best guide to yours.
- Ask a local well driller. They can tell you typical depths and yields in the area, and roughly what a well would cost there.
- Check the rules. Ask the state water agency, or in some states a local groundwater district, whether a well needs a permit and whether pumping is limited.
- Test any existing well. Get a lab test before closing, and ask the seller for the well log and any past test results.
Public water vs a private well
A public water connection is usually simpler to finance and insure, but in rural areas the line may stop miles short of the land, and some rural water districts have long waiting lists or charge high tap fees. Ask whether there's capacity for a new connection, not just whether a line exists.
A private well gives you independence from a utility, but you are responsible for it. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act doesn't cover private wells, so testing and treatment are up to the owner.
Depth, yield and cost
Two numbers matter for a well: how deep the driller has to go, and how many gallons per minute it produces. Both vary with local geology, sometimes sharply over short distances. Well-driller logs from nearby properties are the best public evidence, and a driller who works the area can usually give a realistic range.
Drilling is usually priced per foot, plus the pump, casing, pressure tank and any treatment. Deep wells in hard rock, or areas where wells are known to come up dry, raise the cost and the risk.
Water quality
EPA recommends that private well owners test their water regularly. Common tests cover bacteria, nitrates, pH and total dissolved solids, plus local concerns such as arsenic, uranium or radon in some regions. The county health department can usually tell you what to test for locally.
Land use around the well matters too: septic systems, feedlots, fuel tanks and old wells nearby can affect water quality. See contamination and Phase I ESAs.
Water rights
Owning land doesn't always mean owning the right to use its water. Many western states follow prior appropriation, where water rights are allocated by permit and seniority, separate from the land. Many eastern states follow riparian rules tied to land along a stream. Rules for groundwater differ again, and some states regulate pumping through local districts.
For a household well, permits are often simple. For irrigation, livestock ponds or anything larger, check what rights come with the land and whether any were sold off separately.
What it means for your offer
If the land has no water, make the plan part of due diligence: a connection quote, or a driller's opinion and, where it's practical, a test well. If there's an existing well, ask for a water test and a flow test before closing. The land due diligence checklist lists these alongside septic and power.
From a real sample report
Worked example: a gap in the data in the Texas Hill Country
Our sample screen of ranch land in Gillespie County, Texas found the nearest mapped public water system service area 1.9 mi (3.0 km) away and the nearest sewer service area 2.6 mi (4.2 km) away. USGS models private wells as moderately common nearby.
The report also shows what's missing: no USGS groundwater-level well within 10 km, so no public depth-to-water figure. Add the mapped karst at the point, where groundwater moves through limestone, and the useful next steps are state well logs for nearby properties and a call to a local driller.
Open the Ranch land in the Texas Hill Country sample (PDF) · How to read a report
Common questions
How do I find out how deep a well needs to be on my land?
Look up state well-driller logs for nearby properties and ask a local well driller. Depth can change sharply over short distances, so nearby wells are a guide, not a guarantee.
Does buying land include water rights?
Not always. In many western states water rights are separate from the land and can be sold off. Check the deed, the title commitment and the state water agency's records.
Who tests well water?
A state-certified drinking water lab. The county health department can usually tell you which labs to use and which tests matter locally.
Questions to follow up
- Ask the local water utility about a connection, capacity and tap fees.
- Look up nearby well logs and talk to a local driller.
- Test any existing well before closing.
- Check water rights with the state water agency and the title company.
What a Check the Land screen checks
- Distance to the nearest mapped public water system service area and sewer service area
- How common private wells are nearby (USGS model)
- Depth to water at the nearest USGS groundwater-level well within 10 km, where one exists
- Current drought category and mapped karst at the point
What it can't tell you
- Whether you can connect to a public system, or the cost
- How deep a well would be, what it would yield, or the water quality
- Water rights or permits that come with the land
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal, engineering or insurance advice. Rules vary by state and county.