Rural water and wells in Newton County

If you buy rural property in Newton County, check whether it has a connection to a public water system or relies on a private well. Private wells in Texas must be drilled by a licensed water well driller. The TCEQ keeps records of water wells drilled across the state. You can search those records online through the TCEQ Water Well Report Viewer.

Newton County had no public water systems reporting critical shortages as of late 2023, according to the Texas Water Development Board. But rural areas still face the practical issue of maintaining a well. If you buy land with an existing well, ask for the well log and have the water tested. TCEQ's groundwater pages explain the rules for drilling, testing, and maintaining private wells in Texas.