Water Utilities in Highland Village, TX: City Water vs. Private Wells
It doesn't always work that way. A property's age and its location within Denton County determines how water gets there, and that detail matters more than most buyers realize. What you pay each month, who fixes it when something breaks, and how safe it is to drink - these all hinge on whether you're buying a city-water house or a well-water house.
The Core Differences Between City Water and Well Water
The City of Highland Village runs its own municipal water utility through the Utilities Operations Division. The city buys treated water wholesale from the Upper Trinity Regional Water District (UTRWD) and supplements that supply with five city-owned groundwater wells.
A private well has nothing to do with any of that. It pulls groundwater directly from the aquifer beneath the property, and the homeowner owns all the equipment - every bit of it.
Types of Private Wells
Private wells generally fall into one of four categories: dug, driven, bored, or drilled. Drilled wells are the standard for modern residential use because they reach deep aquifers. The depth and type of well dictates what size pump you need to bring the water up.
How to Tell What Your Home Uses
Look for a water meter near the street, or check whether there's a monthly water bill from the City of Highland Village. No municipal meter and a wellhead pipe coming out of the ground? You're looking at a private well. Ask the listing agent to confirm the utility setup before you even schedule a tour - it's a simple question that can save a lot of confusion later.
Monthly Costs and Water Rates in Highland Village
A household using 12,000 gallons of municipal water in Highland Village pays roughly $75 a month. That figure combines the wholesale pass-through charges and the local city rates.
Well owners don't see a monthly per-gallon charge. They pay for the electricity to run the pump and whatever maintenance the system needs over time.
Calculating the Municipal Water Bill
Highland Village municipal water bills have two distinct pieces. The UTRWD wholesale pass-through includes a $24.25 base charge plus $1.37 per 1,000 gallons. The city charge adds an $11.00 minimum for the first 4,000 gallons, then $3.00 for every additional 1,000 gallons up to 50,000.
Past 50,000 gallons, the city rate jumps to $15.00 per 1,000 gallons. If you're running an irrigation system through a Texas summer, that's where bills start climbing fast.
Well Maintenance and Septic Costs
The water itself is free, but the infrastructure isn't. You're paying for pump replacements, pressure tank repairs, and electricity.
Most well-served homes also rely on private septic systems for wastewater. No monthly sewer bill - but you will pay out of pocket to pump and inspect the septic tank every few years.
Health, Safety, and Water Quality Standards
Municipal water systems are tested daily to meet state and federal safety standards, and the city treats the water before it ever reaches your tap.
Private well water is entirely your responsibility to test and treat. Groundwater quality can shift over time - agricultural runoff, geological changes - and you won't know unless you're actively testing.
Municipal Treatment and Standards
Highland Village's municipal supply blends treated surface water from the UTRWD with groundwater from five city-owned wells. That water is safe to drink straight from the tap. Some residents add water softeners or reverse osmosis systems to adjust the taste or cut down on mineral buildup in their plumbing fixtures - that's a preference call, not a safety requirement.
Testing Private Well Water
Locally, Denton County Public Health handles onsite sewage and well-related environmental health matters. They operate as a TCEQ Authorized Agent and can give you their fee schedules at (940) 349-2900.
You should plan to test your well water every year for bacteria and nitrates at a minimum. The City of Denton Municipal Laboratory charges $20 to $25 per bacteriological sample, which gives you a reasonable benchmark for what that testing costs in this region.
Pros and Cons of Maintaining a Private Well
A private well gives you total control over your water supply. For buyers who want to sidestep municipal rate hikes or usage restrictions, that independence is genuinely appealing.
It also means you absorb all the risk when something goes wrong. A pump failure on a holiday weekend is an emergency service call - and that bill is entirely yours.
Advantages of Well Ownership
No monthly water bill from the city. You can water the lawn or fill a swimming pool without watching a tiered pricing structure work against you. The water also has no added chemicals like chlorine, which some buyers prefer for drinking and bathing.
Disadvantages to Consider
A private well depends on electricity to deliver water into the house. The power goes out, the pump stops, and you have no running water unless you've got a backup generator. Add in the eventual cost of replacing aging pumps, pressure tanks, and filtration equipment, and "free" water has a price - it's just unpredictable rather than monthly.
How to Connect a Property to the Municipal System
Connecting a well-served property to the Highland Village municipal grid requires a water main near the property line. If that infrastructure is already in place, the city will let you tap in for a fee.
Converting to city water means paying municipal tap fees, meter deposits, and a private plumber to run a new line from the street meter to the house.
Tap Fees and Connection Costs
Highland Village charges a $250 water tap fee to connect at the property boundary. New meter fees run from $150 for a standard 3/4-inch meter up to $500 for a 3-inch meter.
The city also requires a $1,600 deposit per meter, retaining $25 of that as a use fee. If you're also connecting to the municipal sewer, add a separate $375 sewer tap fee on top of that.
Running Both Systems Simultaneously
Some homeowners keep their private well active for outdoor irrigation while tying the house into municipal water for drinking and bathing. It reduces the monthly city water bill and keeps a treated, reliable supply indoors. The two plumbing systems have to stay completely separate - cross-contamination is not a risk you want to take.
Buying a Highland Village Home With a Well
A well-water property requires extra due diligence during the option period. Standard home inspectors rarely have the specialized knowledge to evaluate well pumps and aquifers properly.
Hire a dedicated well inspector. Finding out a well is failing after closing is a much more expensive problem than finding out before.
Inspections to Schedule
A comprehensive well inspection should test the system's flow rate and the mechanical condition of the pump. The inspector will confirm the well produces enough gallons per minute to support a modern household. Get water samples to a laboratory as well - you want to know what's in the water before you commit.
Questions for the Seller
Ask for the well log - it documents the well's depth, age, and installation history. Get maintenance records for the pump, pressure tank, and any filtration systems on the property. And ask directly whether the well has ever run dry during a period of severe drought in Denton County. It's a straightforward question, and the answer tells you a lot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better to have a well or be on city water in Highland Village?
It depends on your budget and how much maintenance responsibility you're comfortable taking on. City water offers reliability and guaranteed safety standards without the burden of managing equipment. Well water eliminates monthly municipal water bills but puts all repairs, testing, and power-loss contingencies squarely on the homeowner.
Is it cheaper to use well water or city water in Highland Village?
Well water is generally cheaper month-to-month since you're only paying for the electricity to run the pump. Highland Village municipal water costs roughly $75 for 12,000 gallons. That said, replacing a broken well pump can cost thousands of dollars, which can offset years of savings on water bills quickly.
Is Highland Village city water safer and healthier to drink than private well water?
City water is treated and tested daily to meet strict state and federal safety standards. Private well water can be perfectly safe to drink, but that requires the homeowner to actively test for bacteria and install proper filtration. Without regular lab testing, there's no way to guarantee the water's safety.
What is the downside of buying a home with well water in Highland Village?
You take on total responsibility for the system's operation and water quality. If the power goes out, the well pump stops and the home has no running water. You also carry the full financial burden of replacing expensive equipment when it fails.
How much does it cost to switch a home from well to city water in Highland Village?
The city charges a $250 water tap fee, a meter fee between $150 and $500, and a $1,600 meter deposit. Connecting to the sewer adds a separate $375 sewer tap fee. On top of those city charges, you'll pay a private plumber to run the physical lines from the street to the house.
Can you have both well water and city water on the same property in Highland Village?
Yes. You can keep a private well running for outdoor irrigation while using municipal water inside the house. The two plumbing systems must stay entirely separate. It's a setup that lets homeowners avoid tiered municipal rates for heavy outdoor watering while keeping a treated supply indoors.
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