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Water Wells Program

The City of Austin adopted Ordinance No. 20121011-005 (PDF), which went into effect Oct. 22, 2012. This ordinance, now adopted as Chapter 15-12 of the Austin City Code, establishes registration requirements for drilling water wells, installing water well pumps and other closely related activities.

For more information, contact the Austin Water Utility Compliance Services Division:

Glen Bell Service Center
3907 South Industrial Drive, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78744 

Phone: 512-972-1060, option 5, then option 1 
Fax: 512-972-1260 
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m. 
Email: awwaterwell@austintexas.gov

Applicability

The requirements in Austin City Code Chapter 15-12 apply to any existing, new or planned water well, on a property that receives water or wastewater service from Austin Water.

Properties with one or more water wells are subject to a "Water Well Fee" on the monthly utility bill. This charge, approved by Austin City Council in 2014, helps defray the cost of administering the Water Wells Program. See current rates and fees for details.

Requirements
  1. Any person providing services for work on a water well or pump, including drilling, constructing, reconstructing, capping, plugging, correcting or repairing a water well, or installing or repairing a water well pump, must first complete and submit the Water Well Driller and Water Well Pump Installer Registration Form (PDF). See the Forms and Resources section for a list of registered drillers and pump installers.
  2. Water well owners must provide advance notice at least five business days before drilling, re-drilling, plugging or capping a well by submitting the Advance Notice of Water Well Activity Form (PDF).
  3. All work on any water well or pump must comply with all relevant City Code provisions, including Chapter 15-1 (Cross Connection Regulations), Chapter 25-12 (Technical Codes) and Chapter 6-5 (Water Quality), as well as all applicable state and groundwater conservation district rules. See Water Well Backflow Prevention and Setback Requirements (PDF) for an overview.
  4. For any water well drilled after Oct. 22, 2012, the Water Well Registration Form (PDF) must be completed and submitted within 70 days of completing the well. A copy of the State of Texas Well Report must be attached — see Locating a Water Well Report on the Texas Water Development Board website.
Forms and Resources

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Cross Connection and Water Protection Program

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