Private wells in Brewster County fall under a local water district

Outside Alpine and a few small communities, Brewster County has no public water service. Most rural properties rely on private wells. The Brewster County Groundwater Conservation District — called the GCD — was created in 2001 to oversee those wells.

Five aquifers lie under the county: the Igneous, Edwards-Trinity (Plateau), Marathon, Capitan Reef Complex, and Santa Elena aquifers. An aquifer is an underground layer of rock or sand that holds water.

Wells that can produce more than 25,000 gallons per day — about 17 gallons per minute — need a permit from the GCD. Smaller domestic and livestock wells are usually exempt. But the GCD encourages owners to register those wells anyway. That helps the district track aquifer health. The district's rules were updated as recently as 2025. Check their site before you drill.

If you are buying rural land, ask which aquifer the well draws from. Get the well log. Confirm whether the well is registered. Water supply can vary a lot across this large, spread-out county. Call the GCD at (432) 244-6030 or visit brewstercountygcd.com for maps, forms, and the groundwater management plan.