# What Are the Water Well Setback Requirements in Texas?

> Texas water well setback requirements: distances from septic tanks, drain fields, property lines and livestock pens, plus Parker County spacing. Check a site.

URL: https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/learn/water-well-setback-requirements-texas/

Permit & Code

The distances a new well must keep from septic systems, property lines, pens and other wells, under state rules and the Upper Trinity district.

Under 16 TAC §76.100, a new Texas water well must sit at least **50 ft from a septic tank**, **100 ft from a septic absorption field or spray area**, **150 ft from livestock pens, feedlots and similar sources**, and **50 ft from property lines**. In Parker County the Upper Trinity district adds spacing from other wells, which widens on January 1, 2027.

[Water Well Drilling Weatherford](https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/) sites new wells across Parker County, and water well setback requirements in Texas come from two layers of rules: the state’s well construction standards, and the local groundwater district’s spacing. On a small lot, the combination decides whether a well fits at all.

## State setbacks (16 TAC §76.100)

| Keep the well at least… | From |
| --- | --- |
| **50 ft** | A septic tank or other watertight sewage/liquid-waste collection facility |
| **100 ft** | A septic absorption field, spray area or dry-litter poultry facility |
| **150 ft** | Livestock or poultry yards, feedlots, privies, cemeteries, pesticide mixing or storage facilities |
| **50 ft** | Any adjacent property line (where the other setbacks can still be met) |

The same rule sets how the well is finished at the surface. The casing must stand at least 12 inches above ground. A cement seal must run at least 10 ft down, and a concrete slab at least 4 inches thick must extend 2 ft out from the casing. Those are what stop surface water from running down the outside of the casing.

## Upper Trinity district spacing (Parker, Hood, Wise, Montague)

| Rule | Through Dec 31, 2026 | From Jan 1, 2027 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| From property lines | 50 ft | 100 ft (8–17.36 gpm wells) |
| From other registered wells | 150 ft | 300 ft (8–17.36 gpm wells) |
| Minimum tract | 2 acres | 5 acres for land subdivided after Dec 31, 2026 where the Trinity is ≤60 ft thick |

In Tarrant County (including east Azle), the Northern Trinity Groundwater Conservation District sets its own spacing. Check with that district for wells on the Tarrant side.

## Putting it on a site plan

Start with the septic design, because the drain field is usually the largest area to avoid. Draw a 100-ft circle around the drain field, 50 ft around the tank, and 150 ft around any pens or barns with animals. Then take the property-line setback off every side and mark your neighbors’ wells with their spacing circles. Whatever space is left is where the well can go. On acreage the answer is usually easy. On 2–3-acre lots it can be tight, especially under the 2027 spacing.

## Lenders add their own check

FHA guidance calls for a well at least 10 ft from the property line, 50 ft from a septic tank and 100 ft from the drain field. That can drop to 75 ft where local authorities allow. When the well sits closer than 100 ft to a septic system, a water test is required. See [buying a house with a well in Texas](https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/learn/buying-a-house-with-a-well-in-texas/) and [minimum acreage for a water well](https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/learn/minimum-acreage-water-well-parker-county/).

## Bottom line

Draw every setback on your site plan before the septic or the house goes in: 50 ft from the tank, 100 ft from the drain field, 150 ft from pens, and the district's property-line and well spacing. Moving a drain field on paper is free; moving a well is not.

Questions about your own well? Call [(817) 382-3840](tel:+18173823840). A person answers 24/7.

Sources

1. [16 Texas Administrative Code §76.100, well location and completion](https://law.cornell.edu/regulations/texas/16-Tex-Admin-Code-SS-76-100)
2. [Upper Trinity GCD, FAQs (spacing)](https://uppertrinitygcd.com/faqs/)
3. [Wise County Messenger, spacing rules effective January 1, 2027](https://www.wcmessenger.com/articles/5-acre-minimum-lots-required-for-new-wells-in-west-wise-starting-in-2027/)
4. [HUD Handbook 4000.1 (FHA single family housing policy)](https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/OCHCO/documents/4000.1hsgh-011823.pdf)

## Quick answers

**How far does a well have to be from a septic tank in Texas?**

At least **50 ft** from a watertight septic tank or other sewage collection facility, and at least **100 ft** from the absorption field or spray area (16 TAC §76.100).

**How far from the property line?**

State rules call for 50 ft. The Upper Trinity district requires 50 ft today and 100 ft from January 1, 2027 for household-class wells producing 8–17.36 gallons per minute.

**Does FHA have its own well distances?**

Yes. HUD's FHA guidelines call for a well at least 10 ft from the property line, 50 ft from a septic tank and 100 ft from the drain field. That last distance can drop to 75 ft where local authorities allow. A water test is required when the well is closer than 100 ft to a septic system.

## More residential well drilling guides

- Learn **[How Deep Are Water Wells in Parker County?](https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/learn/how-deep-are-water-wells-parker-county/).** Median depths and water levels for new household wells in every town we serve, from Texas Water Development Board driller reports.
- Permit & Code **[Do You Need a Permit to Drill a Water Well in Parker County?](https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/learn/parker-county-water-well-permit/).** What the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District requires before a new household well is drilled, and what changes on January 1, 2027.
- Permit & Code **[How Many Acres Do You Need for a Water Well in Parker County?](https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/learn/minimum-acreage-water-well-parker-county/).** The tract size and spacing rules that decide whether a lot can have its own well, before and after January 1, 2027.
- Cost Guide **[How Much Does Water Well Drilling Cost in Weatherford, TX?](https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/learn/water-well-drilling-cost-weatherford/).** 2026 prices for a new household well around Weatherford, line by line, using state driller reports for real local depths.
- Decision Guide **[Well Water vs City Water in Weatherford: Which Costs Less?](https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/learn/well-water-vs-city-water-weatherford/).** A side-by-side using the City of Weatherford's current rates and real well ownership costs.

[Residential Well Drilling service](https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/services/residential-well-drilling/)

## Ask about your property

Share the address area and what you're planning. We'll call back with the nearby well depths and a price range.

Faster by phone, any hour: [(817) 382-3840](tel:+18173823840)