Land near Burnet.

Burnet-area acreage: well registration, septic permits and floodplain checks

For acreage near Burnet, check private-water records with both the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District and the Texas Water Development Board. CTGCD states that it covers all of Burnet County, requires every well to be registered, and requires prior authorization before a new well is drilled or completed; some wells also need permits. Its forms include a well-ownership transfer filing due within 90 days after ownership changes. Ask the District to check the actual well and proposed use rather than assuming a seller’s well or an old driller report proves current capacity or approval.

Burnet County’s posted development process calls for a 911 address before permit applications, a building permit before an OSSF permit, and a site evaluation and system design by qualified professionals. The County also says work inside a designated flood-hazard boundary needs a development permit, site plan and elevation documentation. Screen the survey against current FEMA and County floodplain maps, then confirm requirements with Development Services for the exact improvements. Septic suitability, flood limits and water availability depend on the parcel and proposed use.

TWDB provides separate tools for newer electronic well reports and older records archived through TCEQ. Its guidance warns that well records may be incomplete and mapped locations may be inaccurate. Search by the known owner, drill date and legal description, compare the record with the physical well, and arrange qualified inspection, water-quality testing and pump/capacity review. Use the Rural Land Feasibility Planner to collect provider quotes and project costs; its totals reflect your own estimates, not a quote or permit determination.

Facts to help plan the next check

• The Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District states that its boundaries are coextensive with Burnet County.
• The District says its rules require registration of all wells and permitting of certain wells, and that a new well must be registered and receive specific authorization before drilling or completion.
• The District provides a transfer-of-well-ownership form and says it must be submitted within 90 days after ownership changes.
• Burnet County says a new residence or business project needs a 911 address before building or septic permit applications.
• Burnet County says a building permit is required before an OSSF permit. Its posted process calls for site evaluation and system design from qualified professionals.
• Burnet County says development in a designated flood-hazard boundary requires a permit, and its floodplain process requests site plans and elevation documentation.
• Burnet County identifies riverine, creek, low-lying and flash-flood exposure in the county and provides links for current FEMA map screening and local floodplain records.
• TWDB separates well-report searches by date: electronic Submitted Drillers Reports from 2003 onward and older scanned reports through TCEQ. A report may require owner or drill-date information to locate.
• TWDB cautions that its groundwater database is not a complete inventory and that submitted well locations are not verified by State staff and may be inaccurate.

Parcel-specific next checks

1. Match the tract to its deed, survey, parcel account and actual jurisdiction. Do not use a mailing address or city centroid as a boundary.
2. Locate the well and water source on the survey and request the seller’s registration, authorization, driller report, test results, pump records and maintenance history.
3. Ask the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District to verify registration, applicable permit status, proposed use and current ownership-transfer steps.
4. Search TWDB electronic driller reports and TCEQ’s older well-report archive using the owner name and drill date. Compare report location and well construction with the actual site.
5. Hire qualified well professionals to inspect the well, measure yield and conduct water-quality testing for the intended use.
6. Ask Burnet County for the 911-address process, current building-permit path, OSSF authority and required site evaluation and design.
7. Check current FEMA and Burnet County flood maps against the boundary survey. Request any floodplain permit history and elevation certificates.
8. Get written utility/service confirmations and current provider quotes. A map or seller statement is not a service commitment.
9. Obtain soil and septic design information before estimating system type, location, cost or installation schedule.
10. Recheck CTGCD and County procedures before closing or beginning work because rules, forms, fees and permit requirements can change.

Sources

• Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District — well registration, authorization, ownership transfer and forms ↗
• Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District — district rules and Burnet County boundaries ↗
• Burnet County — OSSF and building-permit sequence ↗
• Burnet County — floodplain permits, records and map links ↗
• Texas Water Development Board — locating a well report ↗
• Texas Water Development Board — well data and report limitations ↗

Research checked 2026-11-06. Confirm current details for the exact parcel.

Open the related land tool ↗

Print or save this local checklist