Topic · Page 11
Home & Property
Local Notes
Home & Property notes
Travis County · Septic / OSSF Permits
Septic Systems in Travis County: What You Need to Know
Before planning a septic system, find the permitting authority for the parcel and confirm whether sewer service is available.
Travis County · Utilities
Utility work in Travis County right-of-way has its own permit
Travis County requires right-of-way review for utility installation work such as water, sewer, electrical, and gas lines.
Travis County · LCRA Overview
What the LCRA Does for Travis County Residents
The Lower Colorado River Authority manages water, power, and flood control across the Colorado River basin, including Lake Travis.
Trinity County · Water Wells / Rural Water
Water Wells in Trinity County: Check the District Map First
Groundwater district lines do not always match county lines, so a Trinity County well question starts with the TCEQ GCD viewer and TWDB well records.
Upshur County · Flood Risk
Check the FEMA Flood Map Before Buying in Upshur County
East Texas gets significant rainfall, and low-lying land near creeks and streams in Upshur County can sit in a FEMA-designated flood zone.
Upshur County · Water Supply
Many Rural Properties in Upshur County Rely on Private Wells
Homes outside city limits in Upshur County often use private water wells, which are tracked by the Texas Water Development Board.
Upshur County · Mineral Rights
Upshur County Has a Long Oil and Gas History
Oil was discovered in Upshur County in 1931, and the Railroad Commission of Texas (District 6, based in Henderson) regulates all oil and gas activity here today.
Upton County · Mineral Rights / Oil & Gas
Oil and gas activity is regulated by the Railroad Commission
Upton County is one of the top crude-oil-producing counties in Texas, and the deed to a parcel here may not include a thing about the oil under it.
Upton County · Water / Wells
Upton County has a water district but limited groundwater conservation district coverage
Most of Upton County has no local groundwater district to set rules on well drilling. A small part of the county does fall inside a regional district. A county water district also exists, but it handles other water services.
Uvalde County · Water Wells
A groundwater district oversees wells in Uvalde County
If you plan to drill a water well in Uvalde County, you must work with the local groundwater conservation district.
Uvalde County · Water & Flooding
Five rivers run through Uvalde County
Uvalde County has five named river systems, which shape property values, flood risk, and water supply.
Val Verde County · Water Rights
No Val Verde groundwater district does not mean no well rules
Val Verde currently has no local groundwater conservation district, but state well standards and rule-of-capture limits still apply.
Van Zandt County · Access
Cutting a new driveway off a county road means a culvert permit
A rural entrance is more than a gap in the fence — a new driveway off a county road needs the precinct commissioner's culvert permit first.
Van Zandt County · Floodplain
Drainage and floodplain can decide what a Van Zandt tract can become
Where the water goes — and where the 100-year floodplain sits — is the part of a Van Zandt land split that can quietly shrink how many homes a tract will hold.
Van Zandt County · Septic
Out past the city limits, your sewage plan goes through Jon Paul Wedeking
Most rural Van Zandt homes run on a septic system, and the county's designated representative has to approve one before it goes in the ground.
Van Zandt County · Utilities
Running a utility line across a Van Zandt road shoulder has rules
Extending water, power, or fiber to rural land usually crosses county road right-of-way, and Van Zandt has firm rules on how the line gets buried.
Van Zandt County · Land Development
Splitting Van Zandt land for sale can put you in front of Commissioners Court
Carving a parent tract into lots for sale or development triggers the county's subdivision review, with an application, a checklist, and platting standards to clear.
Van Zandt County · Private Roads
That road into the subdivision may never be the county's problem
A road shown on a Van Zandt subdivision plat isn't automatically a county road — the developer's certificate can leave it private for good.
Victoria County · Hurricane Risk
Hurricane Harvey hit Victoria County hard in 2017
Hurricane Harvey made landfall nearby in 2017 and brought strong winds, heavy rain, and flooding to Victoria County.
Victoria County · Flood Zone Risk
Look up your parcel on FEMA flood maps before you buy
FEMA flood maps show whether a specific property is in a high-risk flood zone, which affects insurance requirements and mortgage costs.
Victoria County · Mineral Rights
Oil and gas rights can be owned separately from your land
In Victoria County, oil and gas mineral rights are often severed from surface ownership, meaning what is below your land may belong to someone else.
Victoria County · Windstorm Insurance
Victoria County is not in the TWIA windstorm insurance territory
TWIA is the state's backup windstorm insurer. It covers only 14 coastal counties, and Victoria County is not one of them.
Victoria County · City Limits vs. Unincorporated
Where you live in the county affects what rules apply to your property
Whether your property is inside the city, in the ETJ buffer zone, or in unincorporated county land determines which rules apply.
Victoria County · Septic Systems (OSSF)
You need a permit to install or replace a septic system
If a Victoria County property is outside sewer service, plan on the state OSSF permit process before installing, repairing, or replacing a septic system.
Walker County · Weather Hazards
Heat and Storms: Weather Hazards in Walker County
Walker County has hot, humid summers with heat index values that can top 105°F, plus a long thunderstorm and flooding season.
Walker County · Water Wells
Walker County Has a Groundwater Conservation District
Walker County is part of the Bluebonnet Groundwater Conservation District, which oversees well permits and protects local aquifer water.
Waller County · Building permits
Building a House on Rural Waller County Land Starts With a Culvert
On an unincorporated tract, Waller County routes the 9-1-1 address, residential permit, culvert permit, and fill-dirt request through its permit process.
Waller County · Municipal Utility Districts
Many Waller County Subdivisions Are Inside a MUD
A Municipal Utility District (a MUD) is a small local government that provides utility service to a set area, and it can add its own taxing-unit line next to county and school taxes.
Waller County · Flood Zones
Parts of Waller County Have Serious Flood Risk
The Brazos River and several creeks create real flood risk in Waller County, and some properties sit inside FEMA-designated flood zones where flood insurance is required.
Waller County · Rural addressing
Your Waller County 9-1-1 Address Comes Before Any Permit
In unincorporated Waller County, the 9-1-1 address comes before county permits can move.
Ward County · Mineral Rights
Surface rights and mineral rights can be owned separately in Ward County
In Ward County, a deed can give you the surface while someone else keeps the oil and gas rights.
Ward County · Water Supply
Water in Ward County comes from a desert aquifer
Ward County is arid, and the region relies heavily on the Pecos Valley Alluvium Aquifer for water during droughts and shortfalls.
Washington County · Mineral Rights
Oil, Gas, and Other Minerals Are Found in Washington County
Washington County has oil, natural gas, lignite, and other mineral resources, so buyers of rural land should ask whether mineral rights are included in the sale.
Washington County · Water Wells
Washington County Has No Local Groundwater Conservation District
State maps show no GCD covering Washington County; private wells still have construction rules and limits on harmful pumping.
Webb County · Unincorporated Areas
Colonias: Unincorporated Communities Outside Laredo
Some communities in Webb County are outside city limits and lack basic services — knowing whether a property is in a colonia matters before you buy.
Webb County · Flood Risk
Flooding Along the Rio Grande in Webb County
The Rio Grande can rise quickly in Laredo and cause flooding — check FEMA flood maps before buying property near the river.
Webb County · City Limits / ETJ
Laredo's City Limits and Its ETJ Extend Far Into Webb County
Laredo can regulate subdivisions up to 5 miles beyond its city limits — this affects what you can build even on unincorporated land nearby.
Webb County · Water Rights
Rio Grande Water Rights Run Through a TCEQ Watermaster
A Webb County tract can touch the Rio Grande without carrying the right to divert or sell river water.
Webb County · County Planning
Webb County Development Starts With a Planning Determination
On unincorporated Webb County land, the Development Determination Application comes before the floodplain, septic, utility, or platting path.
Webb County · Property Records
Webb County Property Records Start With the County Clerk
The Webb County Clerk is the local starting point for recorded deeds, liens, plats, and other real property records.
Webb County · Weather & Climate
Webb County's Climate: Hot, Dry, and Semi-Arid
Webb County is a hot, semi-arid region with an average of about 20 inches of rain per year and summer temperatures that regularly top 100°F.
Wharton County · Weather Hazards
Hurricanes and Tropical Storms Reach Wharton County
Wharton County sits about 35 miles from the Gulf Coast and can see strong winds and heavy rain from tropical storms and hurricanes.
Wharton County · Mineral Rights & Oil/Gas
Oil and Gas Is Part of Wharton County's History — and Still Active
Oil production began in Wharton County in 1925 and continues today; if you buy land, check whether mineral rights are included.
Wharton County · Flood Risk
The Colorado River Floods — and Wharton County Has a Long History of It
The Colorado River cuts through Wharton County, and its floodplain puts many homes at serious flood risk.
Wharton County · Groundwater & Water Wells
Wharton County Has Its Own Groundwater District for Water Wells
The Coastal Bend Groundwater Conservation District regulates water wells in Wharton County and draws from the Gulf Coast Aquifer.
Wheeler County · Mineral Rights
Oil and Gas Production Has Long Shaped Wheeler County
Wheeler County has produced oil and natural gas since the 1920s, so mineral rights and surface-owner rights matter when buying land here.
Wheeler County · Groundwater
Wheeler County Depends on the Ogallala Aquifer for Water
TWDB's 2024 Wheeler County planning sheet names the Ogallala in the supply mix for irrigation, livestock, mining, and local water systems.
Wheeler County · Water Wells
Wheeler County wells need registration or a permit
Panhandle GCD requires registration for exempt wells and permits for larger wells before drilling.
Wichita County · City vs. County
A Wichita County mailing address does not settle city-limit or ETJ rules
City limits and the ETJ are different boundaries. A rural Wichita County tract may still need city plat review as well as county permits.
Wichita County · Mineral Rights
Mineral Rights Are a Separate Property in Wichita County
Wichita County has a long oil-producing history, and the mineral rights beneath a property may be owned separately from the surface land.
Wichita County · Flood Risk
Parts of Wichita County Are in FEMA Flood Zones
The Wichita River and its tributaries create flood risk in parts of the county, and FEMA flood maps identify which properties may require flood insurance.
Wichita County · Septic Systems
Rural Properties Need a Septic Permit Before Building
Outside of city sewer areas in Wichita County, homes need an on-site sewage facility permit, and the Wichita Falls Health District handles local permitting.
Wichita County · Weather Hazard
Wichita County Has a Serious Tornado History
More than 60 tornadoes have been recorded in Wichita County since 1900, including a catastrophic 1979 storm that killed 42 people.
Wilbarger County · Wildfire Hazard
Wilbarger County Treats Wildfire as a Real Grassland Risk
Dry grass, wind, and recent state disaster declarations make wildfire a practical home and land concern in Wilbarger County.
Willacy County · Building permits
A Willacy County Permit Starts With the Inspector, Not the Payment Desk
The county inspector helps choose the application and approve the work; the Tax Office in Room 202 takes the finished packet and payment.
Willacy County · Coastal insurance
A Windstorm Certificate Is One Part of TWIA Eligibility in Willacy
All of Willacy County is in the coastal catastrophe area, where construction certification can affect a property's eligibility for TWIA coverage.
Williamson County · Geography & Terrain
A Geological Divide Splits Williamson County in Two
The Balcones Escarpment runs through Williamson County, separating rocky Hill Country terrain in the west from flat blackland prairie in the east.
Williamson County · Water & Flood
Brushy Creek Is Both a Flood Risk and a Water Supply Source
The Brushy Creek watershed in central and eastern Williamson County is managed by the Upper Brushy Creek Water Control and Improvement District, which oversees flood control.
Williamson County · PID Assessment
Check Williamson County PID Assessments Before You Buy
The Williamson County Tax Office lists Public Improvement District assessments that can appear on a property tax statement but are not ordinary ad valorem property taxes.
Williamson County · Flood Risk
Flooding Is a Real Risk in Williamson County
Flash flooding regularly affects homes and roads in Williamson County, and FEMA flood maps were last updated in 2019.