Entitlement guide
Water and wastewater: who serves the site, and is there room?
A parcel can sit next to a water line it is not allowed to use. Service in Texas follows certificated areas and agreements, not just pipes.
The short answer
In Texas, retail water and sewer service is usually tied to a certificate of convenience and necessity, a CCN, issued by the state. The CCN holder for your parcel is generally the provider you work with, even if another system's main is closer. Districts such as MUDs and cities with their own systems add more layers.
Knowing the provider is step one. Step two is capacity: whether the provider can and will serve your use, at what cost, and on what schedule. That answer usually comes as a letter or a service agreement, not from a map.
- Water and sewer CCN holders on the parcel, and nearby boundaries
- Districts that overlap the site, including MUDs and groundwater districts
- Whether a city requires annexation or a request before extending service
- What the provider needs to issue a capacity or will-serve letter
- Whether septic is the likely path for wastewater
- How service affects fire flow and platting
Why it can stop a deal
Where projects get caught.
No provider will serve
If the parcel sits outside every system that can serve it, the paths are slow: a service extension, a CCN change or a new district.
There is no sewer
Without central sewer, an on-site septic system has to fit on the land and suit the use. That can cap density or rule out a use.
Capacity costs extra
A provider may serve only if you pay to extend or upsize mains, or wait for a plant expansion.
How it works
How it usually works in Central Texas.
Rules differ by city, county and utility, and they change. Treat this as orientation and confirm with the approving authority.
Finding the provider. State CCN maps show which retail provider holds each area for water and for sewer, and they are not always the same entity. Cities may serve inside and sometimes outside their limits. Municipal utility districts and other special districts serve within their boundaries, often inside a larger CCN. Groundwater conservation districts regulate wells. A parcel near a boundary needs a careful read, because the line on a map can be off by tens of feet.
Asking for service. Providers have their own process. Some issue a will-serve or capacity letter. Larger city utilities often use a service extension request reviewed by staff, and some require more for sites outside city limits, including an annexation request in some cases. Rural water supply corporations may require a non-standard service agreement and a study before they commit. Each step has its own fees and timing.
When the holder cannot or will not serve. State law offers ways to have land released from a CCN, with conditions that depend on the county and the size of the tract. These involve the Public Utility Commission and often counsel. They are real options, but they take time and should be planned, not assumed.
Sewer and septic. If there is no sewer provider, wastewater has to be handled on site, usually with an on-site sewage facility. That moves the question to soils, lot size and the county's septic program. See the septic guide.
How it connects to everything else. The water provider also decides fire flow supply. Service terms can affect platting, because some counties want proof of water before they approve a plat. That is why VALITER confirms service early, right after jurisdiction and legal lot.
Who decides
The people and offices involved.
| Who | What they decide |
|---|---|
| Water or sewer provider | Whether it will serve, capacity, extension terms, fees |
| Public Utility Commission | CCN boundaries, amendments and releases |
| City council or utility staff | Service extensions and conditions outside city limits |
| Groundwater conservation district | Well permits and limits where wells are used |
- Who holds the water CCN and the sewer CCN for this exact parcel?
- What does the provider need to confirm capacity, and how long does it take?
- Will service require a main extension, and who pays for it?
- Does service outside city limits trigger annexation or other conditions?
- If there is no sewer, can the land carry a septic system for this use?
Keep reading
Waitlist open · Starting in Central Texas
Get on the list before your next site.
VALITER opens to a small group first, starting in Central Texas. Teams with a live site get in first.