Buying Land With a Well in the High Desert

You found a piece of vacant land in the California High Desert and the listing says something very appealing:

Private well.

If you're comparing it with another parcel that doesn't have public water or an existing meter, that well can look like a huge advantage.

And it may be.

But don't stop your investigation at:

“There's a well.”

When buying land with an existing private well in Joshua Tree, Twentynine Palms, Yucca Valley or another part of the High Desert, there are several questions you should ask before deciding how much value that well adds to the property.

Because there are really two things you need to investigate:

The well itself.

And:

The water coming out of it.

Those aren't the same question.

Is Having a Well on Desert Land a Good Thing?

Potentially, yes.

Water is one of the biggest considerations when buying vacant desert land, particularly if you're planning to build a home.

A parcel with an existing functioning well may eliminate one of the major unknowns associated with developing land.

But the important words there are:

Existing. Functioning.

A well that hasn't operated in years isn't automatically equivalent to a well that's currently supplying a residence.

And an old well casing sticking out of the ground doesn't tell you:

How deep the well is
Where the water level is
How much water it produces
Whether the pump works
Whether the well was properly permitted
What condition the well is in
Whether the water is suitable for drinking

That's why we investigate.

First: Is the Well Actually on the Property?

This sounds ridiculously obvious.

Verify it anyway.

With vacant desert land, property boundaries aren't always visually obvious.

If a listing says there's a well, make sure the well actually belongs to the parcel you're buying.

Get the APN.

Review the available property information.

Look at the well's location relative to the parcel.

If exact property boundaries matter, don't rely on a GPS pin or online parcel overlay as a substitute for a professional survey.

A well twenty feet onto the neighbor's property is a very different amenity.

Is the Well Permitted?

San Bernardino County requires a permit for the construction, destruction or rehabilitation of a well, and County Environmental Health Services says the permit must involve the property owner and a C-57 well driller registered with the County. California Water Well Standards also apply to construction.

For an existing well, I'd want to investigate whatever records are available.

Ask:

When was the well drilled?

Was it permitted?

Is there a well driller's report?

Have repairs or rehabilitation been performed?

Are there records showing its construction?

The older the well, the more important it may be to understand what you're actually inheriting.

Can I Drill a New Well on Any High Desert Parcel?

No.

Don't buy land outside a public water system and simply assume:

“That's okay. I'll drill a well.”

San Bernardino County says well water may be allowed when a parcel isn't within a water purveyor's service area, provided required setbacks can be met and the well permit is approved.

That's very different from saying every vacant parcel is automatically entitled to a new well.

If your entire development plan depends on drilling one, investigate that before purchasing the land.

A Well Doesn't Guarantee Water Production

This is one of the biggest things I'd want a land buyer to understand.

A hole was drilled.

Someone found water.

That doesn't tell us what the well is producing today.

Groundwater conditions and well performance can change.

Equipment ages.

Pumps fail.

Water levels can change.

If the well is an important reason you're buying the property, investigate its current performance rather than relying solely on its history.

Have the Well Pump Tested

This is where a pump test becomes valuable.

San Bernardino County Environmental Health Services recommends that homeowners have a pump test performed annually to determine the well's:

Pumping capacity
Motor efficiency
Static water level

The County notes that a typical home may only need a well producing roughly 1–3 gallons per minute, but that's general guidance—not a guarantee that a particular well is adequate for your proposed use.

A proper evaluation can give you information such as:

Static water level — where the water sits when the well isn't being pumped.

Pumping level/drawdown — what happens to the water level while pumping.

Production or sustained yield — how much water the well can actually deliver.

Recovery — how the well recovers after pumping.

Those tell you considerably more than:

“Seller says the well worked last time they used it.”

Don't Confuse Well Depth With Water Availability

Suppose you're told:

“It's a 400-foot well.”

Interesting.

But that alone doesn't answer our question.

Well depth isn't the same thing as:

How much water is currently in the well?

or:

How much water can it sustainably produce?

That's why I care more about actual testing and current well information than one impressive-sounding number in a listing description.

Then Test the Water

Now we get to the other half.

Even if the well produces plenty of water:

What's in the water?

Private domestic wells generally aren't monitored like a public water system. California's State Water Resources Control Board says responsibility for ensuring private domestic well water is safe rests with the well owner.

That's why water-quality testing matters.

San Bernardino County recommends private well owners test annually for bacteria and nitrates, along with contaminants of concern that can include arsenic, fluoride, iron, manganese and sulfur.

The State Water Board similarly recommends regular domestic-well testing and comparing results with established drinking-water standards.

What Should Well Water Be Tested For?

There's no single universal testing panel appropriate for every property.

The appropriate tests can depend on location, well history, nearby land uses and other factors.

But common testing considerations can include:

Bacteria

Testing can identify indicators such as total coliform and potentially E. coli.

Bacterial contamination may indicate that the water has been exposed to contamination from the surface or another source.

Nitrates

Nitrate is another important drinking-water consideration, particularly because private wells aren't regulated in the same manner as public water systems.

Arsenic

Arsenic occurs naturally in groundwater in some areas and is one of the contaminants San Bernardino County specifically identifies as a potential concern for private-well testing.

Minerals and General Water Chemistry

Depending on the property and circumstances, testing may also examine things such as:

Iron
Manganese
Fluoride
Sulfur
Total dissolved solids
Electrical conductivity
pH

California's domestic-well guidance recommends at minimum annual testing for total coliform, nitrate and electrical conductivity, with additional constituents selected based on the location and potential concerns.

What About the Taste and Smell?

Taste, odor and appearance can certainly tell you that something deserves investigation.

But:

“Tastes fine to me” isn't a water-quality test.

Some water-quality issues aren't detectable by taste, smell or appearance.

Conversely, certain minerals may affect taste, staining or odor without necessarily presenting the same health concern as another contaminant.

That's why laboratory results are much more useful than the old:

“I drank some and I'm still alive.”

Who Should Test the Well Water?

For a property purchase, I'd strongly favor proper laboratory testing rather than relying on an inexpensive home test strip for important decisions.

The State Water Board recommends using a laboratory when accurate concentrations of contaminants are needed and points consumers toward laboratories accredited through California's Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP).

San Bernardino County also provides information about state-certified laboratories available for private-well testing.

San Bernardino County well and water information

Who Takes the Water Sample?

Ask the laboratory.

This is important because different tests can have specific sampling procedures.

The lab may provide:

Proper sample bottles
Collection instructions
Handling requirements
Timing requirements
Information about whether they offer professional sampling

For an important property decision, I'd rather have the sample collected and handled according to the laboratory's requirements than improvise with an empty water bottle from the car.

California's well standards specifically emphasize proper sampling technique, including using appropriate sterile containers for bacterial sampling.

What If the Well Water Fails a Test?

Don't immediately assume the property is worthless.

And don't immediately assume:

“We'll just install a filter.”

Different contaminants require different solutions.

Some issues may be treatable.

Others may require additional investigation, retesting or professional water treatment.

The State Water Board recommends confirming elevated results and determining an appropriate response based on the particular contaminant. If a result exceeds a primary drinking-water standard, it recommends not consuming the water until appropriate action has been taken.

Test first. Then determine the appropriate solution.

Don't buy a generic filtration system and hope it solves whatever happens to be in the water.

What About an Old Well That Hasn't Been Used in Years?

This is where I'd be especially cautious about assigning value.

An old well may turn out to be a terrific asset.

But until it's evaluated, you don't necessarily know.

Questions I'd ask include:

Does the pump operate?

Is electricity available to operate it?

What condition is the equipment in?

What is the current static water level?

What does the pump test show?

What does the water-quality test show?

Are records available?

Does the well need rehabilitation?

Remember, San Bernardino County requires a permit for well rehabilitation as well as construction or destruction.

Look at the Well Equipment Too

The underground water source is only part of the system.

Depending on the property, there may also be:

Pump
Electrical equipment
Pressure tank
Storage tank
Piping
Controls
Wellhead
Other components

If you're buying property partly because of an existing well, consider having the relevant equipment evaluated too.

A functioning well with worn-out equipment may require a different budget than a fully operational system.

What About a Storage Tank?

Storage can be particularly relevant when a well has a relatively low production rate.

A well doesn't necessarily need to produce water at the same rate you're consuming it every moment if the overall system is properly designed with appropriate storage.

But that's a system-design question—not something I'd guess about during a land showing.

If the well's production is marginal or your proposed use is substantial, talk with the appropriate well and water professionals about what the property actually requires.

A Neighbor's Well Doesn't Guarantee Yours

This comes up with undeveloped land too.

You might hear:

“Everyone around here has wells.”

That's useful information.

It still doesn't guarantee that a new well on your particular parcel will:

Be approved
Reach water at the same depth
Produce the same amount
Have identical water quality
Cost the same to drill

Groundwater isn't a municipal pipe running underneath every property at a predictable depth.

Neighboring well information can help with research.

It isn't a guarantee.

Is Land With a Well Worth Paying More For?

Potentially—absolutely.

If I'm comparing two otherwise similar properties and one has a permitted, functioning well with documented production and satisfactory water-quality testing, that's meaningful.

We've reduced a major area of uncertainty.

But compare that with:

“There's an old well somewhere on the property. Seller doesn't know anything about it.”

Those aren't equivalent amenities.

That's why I wouldn't automatically assign a huge premium simply because the MLS field says:

WELL.

I want to know what kind of well we're buying.

Existing Well vs. Water Meter

Neither automatically wins.

A property connected to a public water system through an existing meter offers one type of water solution.

A property with a private well offers another.

When comparing them, consider:

Reliability

Water quality

Well production

Maintenance responsibility

Equipment

Ongoing costs

Future repairs

Your intended use

With public water, the utility maintains the broader water system.

With a private well, you're the water department.

That doesn't make wells bad.

It means ownership comes with different responsibilities.

Can I Use Hauled Water Instead?

Don't assume hauled water is an easy substitute if your ultimate goal is building a new residence.

San Bernardino County notes that California law prohibits local jurisdictions from issuing building permits for new residential development where hauled water is intended as the water supply, subject to limited exceptions for certain previously approved properties.

That's another reason water should be investigated before buying land to build.

Buying Land With a Well to Build a House?

Then water due diligence should happen alongside your other development questions.

Investigate:

Well condition

Well production

Water quality

Zoning

Road and legal access

Power

Septic/wastewater

Terrain

Building requirements

A great well doesn't make an otherwise unsuitable parcel suitable.

But a good parcel with a verified good well?

Now that's interesting.

My Well Checklist for a Land Buyer

If an existing well is part of the reason you're interested in a High Desert property, I'd want answers to questions like:

Is the well actually located on this parcel?
Are permits or well records available?
When was it drilled?
How deep is it?
When was it last used?
Does the pump currently operate?
What is the static water level?
Has a recent pump test been performed?
What is the sustained production/yield?
How quickly does the well recover?
Has the water recently been laboratory tested?
What was it tested for?
Were any contaminants detected at concerning levels?
What condition is the pump and related equipment in?
Is there water storage?
Have there been previous repairs or rehabilitation?

That's considerably more useful than:

“Yep. It's got a well.”

Already Found High Desert Land With a Well?

If you've found a property on Zillow, Realtor.com, Land.com or another real estate website that advertises a private well, send me the listing or APN.

I can help you evaluate the land itself and identify the questions you'll want answered about the well.

The appropriate well professionals, laboratory and County can provide the technical answers we need.

That's the combination I want:

Local land knowledge + professional verification.