Thinking about buying acreage near Florence and wondering if water and power are even possible? Utility approvals can make or break your timeline and budget. You want clear answers on who serves your tract, what it will cost, and how long it will take. This guide walks you through water CCNs, wells, septic, electric extensions, and the exact confirmations to secure before you sign. Let’s dive in.
How service territories work
In Texas, retail water and sewer service areas are set by Certificates of Convenience and Necessity, or CCNs. A CCN gives a utility the exclusive right and obligation to serve inside its boundary. If your parcel sits inside a CCN, you work with that utility for taps and any main extensions. If it is outside a CCN, you can explore a private well, septic, or a utility extension or CCN amendment.
Groundwater for private wells is managed by local Groundwater Conservation Districts where they exist. Rules for spacing, production, and permits vary by district. In areas without an active district, you follow state and county requirements and standard well practices.
On-site sewage systems are permitted by the county under state rules. Williamson County runs an authorized program for septic approvals, including soil and setback requirements. Timelines depend on permitting and installer schedules.
Electricity to rural acreage is delivered by distribution utilities, often electric cooperatives or municipal systems. They own the poles and lines, and they control line extensions, make-ready work, and transformer capacity. Policies and costs differ by utility, so get written terms early.
County and state agencies control right-of-way permits, road bores, and crossings. If a utility line must cross a county road or a TxDOT highway, expect separate permits and added time.
Water feasibility in Williamson County
Inside a water CCN
If your tract is inside a CCN, that utility is your retail water provider. You will coordinate taps, line extensions, capacity checks, and fees with that provider. Policies and pricing vary by utility type, whether municipal, water supply corporation, or private water company.
Outside any CCN
If your tract is outside a CCN, you can typically pursue a private well if local groundwater rules allow it. You can also request service from a nearby utility through a CCN amendment or an annexation process. These administrative reviews can take months, so build that time into your plan.
What to request from the water utility
Ask for a written serviceability or will-serve letter that states:
- Whether your parcel is inside the provider’s CCN, with the CCN number and boundary map.
- Distance to the nearest water and sewer mains and the size of those mains.
- Current pressure, residual pressure at the connection point, and any flow or fire-flow data.
- Tap fees, impact or capital recovery fees, and any developer charges.
- Standard timeline and lead times for a line extension, if needed.
- Engineering requirements, hydrant and looping needs, and any developer agreement templates.
Private wells and groundwater
Confirm your GCD
Identify which Groundwater Conservation District regulates your location. Rules may limit well spacing and pumping volumes and may require permits and reporting. If no GCD applies, verify county and state requirements before drilling.
Essential well checks
- Distance to the nearest permitted wells and any available production history.
- Local drilling logs and typical yields for the local aquifer.
- Water quality trends, including hardness, iron, hydrogen sulfide, arsenic, or nitrate.
- Driller estimates for depth and cost based on recent nearby wells.
Timelines and coordination
Well drilling can take a few weeks to a few months depending on permitting and driller availability. Water quality testing has its own lab turnaround time. Plan for equipment lead times if treatment is needed.
Wastewater options near Florence
Public sewer
If sewer is available, request a will-serve and downstream capacity letter. Confirm whether gravity service is possible or if a lift station is required. Get distances to mains and any required upgrades in writing.
Septic and OSSF steps
If you plan to use septic, order a site evaluation or perc test from a county-authorized professional. Confirm setbacks from property lines, wells, streams, and floodplain. Installation usually takes weeks, but permit schedules and installer availability drive timing.
Electric service and extensions
Identify your provider
Unincorporated areas around Florence are commonly served by electric cooperatives or municipal systems inside city limits. To confirm who serves your parcel, check the county appraisal record, contact the Public Utility Commission of Texas, or call nearby cooperatives with your parcel details.
Single-phase vs three-phase
Most rural homes use single-phase power. If you plan pumps, small commercial uses, or light industrial loads, verify three-phase availability. Extending three-phase can be costly if it is not present near your tract.
What to request from the utility
Ask the distribution utility for a written service availability letter that includes:
- Nearest connection point and distance to existing facilities.
- Whether single-phase or three-phase is available and at what distance.
- Estimated line extension cost, any required customer contribution, and easement needs.
- Make-ready work such as pole replacements or tree trimming.
- Transformer sizing, meter requirements, and payment terms.
- Timelines for design and construction of the extension.
Costs and timeline ranges
These are high-level ranges to help you budget. Site conditions and provider policies will drive actual numbers.
- Water tap fees: roughly $500 to $5,000 per residential tap in rural systems; municipal fees can be higher. Developer impact or capacity fees may add more.
- Wastewater tap or impact fees: often $1,000 to $10,000 or more depending on capacity.
- Water or sewer line extensions: short laterals can cost several thousand dollars. Long mains or road bores can range from tens of thousands into the hundreds of thousands based on distance and crossings.
- Private well: very approximate costs of $3,000 to $15,000 or more based on depth, yield, casing, and pump. Treatment systems add cost.
- Septic systems: very approximate costs of $4,000 to $20,000 depending on soil, system type, and layout.
- Timeline guidelines: serviceability letters often arrive within days to a few weeks. Utility extensions typically take 3 to 12 or more months including design, permitting, and construction. Wells and septic can run from weeks to a few months.
Easements, roads, and permits
Easements and right-of-way permissions affect routing, cost, and timing. If a line must cross a county or state road, expect bore permits and added time. Review recorded easements with the county clerk, and confirm any new easements utilities will require from you or neighbors.
Pre-contract checklist
Get these confirmations in writing before you sign a purchase contract:
- Utility jurisdiction and CCN status. Verify water and sewer CCN boundaries and collect any prior bills or service contracts.
- Water plan. Secure a will-serve letter or a documented well plan with the applicable groundwater rules.
- Wastewater plan. Obtain a sewer capacity letter or a septic site evaluation and pre-approval from the county.
- Electric availability. Get a letter with distance to lines, single- or three-phase availability, extension costs, and timelines.
- Easements and crossings. Identify recorded easements and any road bore permits required.
- Soils and floodplain. Order a soil report or site evaluation and review FEMA floodplain maps.
- Fire protection. Confirm fire-flow needs and hydrant requirements for your intended use.
- Written quotes. Collect itemized estimates for taps, line extensions, wells, septic, bores, and soft costs.
- Timelines. Get written duration estimates for each approval and installation and use them to plan contingencies.
- Legal and financial checks. Screen for utility districts, assessments, and liens that could affect costs.
Smart contract contingencies
Discuss these with your attorney:
- Utility feasibility contingency allowing termination if service letters or cost estimates are unsatisfactory.
- Septic and well contingency for successful site evaluation and well yield or cost confirmation.
- Timeline contingency for major extensions, with cost caps or escrow if needed.
- Professional review contingency to allow time for civil engineering and utility design feedback.
Practical next steps
- Call the county appraisal district and county clerk to confirm recorded easements and taxing entities.
- Request written serviceability letters from the nearest water or wastewater provider and from the electric distribution utility.
- Order a site soil evaluation and a preliminary topo to support routing and cost estimates.
- Contact the county OSSF office for septic permitting rules and timing.
- Identify the applicable Groundwater Conservation District and confirm any permitting or pumping limits.
Who to engage early
- Licensed civil or site engineer for utility routing, feasibility, and cost estimating.
- Licensed well driller and a water testing lab if a well is likely.
- Licensed septic installer and county OSSF reviewer.
- Utility engineer at the electric cooperative for load study and extension quotes.
- Real estate attorney to structure contingencies and easement language.
- Surveyor to map legal descriptions and utility easements.
Why this matters for financing and insurance
Lenders want a feasible path to water, wastewater, and power before closing. Written service commitments and realistic timelines reduce closing risk. Fire-flow availability can also affect insurance premiums and may trigger hydrant or line size requirements for some projects. Confirm these details early so you can budget, schedule, and negotiate with confidence.
Work with a local team
Utility planning around Florence is detailed work, but it does not have to slow you down. With in-house civil engineering, entitlement coordination, and project management, we package feasibility, routing, and utility approvals into lender-ready documentation that moves your deal forward. If you are evaluating acreage near Florence, reach out to the local team that treats land as a technical project, not just a listing.
Ready to evaluate a tract? Contact Land Homes Texas to Request a Feasibility Review.
FAQs
What is a water CCN and why does it matter?
- A CCN is a state-issued certificate that gives a water or sewer utility the exclusive retail right and duty to serve a mapped area, which controls who you must work with for taps and extensions.
How can I tell if my Florence-area parcel is in a CCN?
- Ask the seller for any prior utility info and request a written serviceability letter from the nearest utility, then verify the CCN boundary with state mapping resources.
Can I use a private well near Florence if public water is not nearby?
- Often yes if your tract is outside a CCN and the applicable groundwater rules allow it; confirm GCD requirements, expected depths, yields, and water quality before committing.
What if I need three-phase power for equipment or pumps?
- Ask the distribution utility for a service availability letter that confirms distance to the nearest three-phase line, estimated extension cost, and timeline; extending three-phase can be expensive.
How long do water or sewer line extensions usually take?
- Simple letters arrive within days to weeks, while design and construction for extensions often run 3 to 12 or more months depending on complexity and permits.
Who permits septic systems in Williamson County?
- Williamson County operates an authorized on-site sewage program that reviews site evaluations, setbacks, and system designs before issuing permits.
What should I budget for a private well and septic system?
- Very approximate ranges are $3,000 to $15,000 or more for a well and $4,000 to $20,000 for septic, with actual costs driven by depth, soils, system type, and site layout.
