Does it cost anything to register my well? There is no charge for registering an existing well (drilled before 2009).
What if I need to drill a new well? You must register your new well PRIOR to drilling. Oftentimes, a drilling company will register the well on your behalf but the responsibility falls on the landowner. Check with your driller. In addition, all new wells must comply with, or obtain a variance for, the following rules:
Property must be at least 2 acres. Well must be drilled at least 50 feet from the nearest property line. Well must be drilled at least 150 ft away from any other registered wells. To see a full list of requirements, click here. To apply for an exception to the minimum spacing requirements you can download a copy of the form here.
What if I purchased property with a well already on it? As the current landowner you are required to file a registration form to show a transfer of ownership.
What does the District do with the information on the registration form and why is it required? State law requires the District to collect information about the wells in its jurisdiction. The District must determine how much water is currently needed and being used by Montague, Wise, Parker, and Hood counties, so that it can ensure that District constituents have sufficient water for now, as well as estimate the future needs based on projected growth. Registering a well affords the well owner protection of well spacing- the District can’t consider your water needs if we don’t know about your well.
What if I want to sell my water or use it for production? A non-exempt well must apply to the District for a well registration prior to selling the water, as well as meter and pay fees on the amount of water sold. The District rate for groundwater used in this manner is $0.22 per 1,000 gallons. Forms for metering and fees can be found here.