Washington County Has No Local Groundwater Conservation District

No local groundwater district covers Washington County on the state maps. That means no local GCD permit is listed for the county, but it does not mean a well has no rules. Check the tract against TCEQ's district map before drilling.

The rule of capture generally lets a landowner pump groundwater beneath the land. It does not protect wasteful pumping, pumping meant to harm a neighbor, negligent land subsidence, or a slant well across a property line.

TDLR regulates private-well construction and licensed drillers. Owners can drill on their own land for their own use without a driller license. Well standards and reports still apply. Use TWDB's well records for depth and water-level history, and test the actual well before relying on it.