Septic system requirements in Galveston County, Texas
The septic rules landplan.io applies in Galveston County, what a septic tank costs there, and the parcel data we hold.
Updated
Design a septic system for an address in Galveston County
Texas's state rules apply in Galveston County: landplan.io has no county rules of its own here. State rules: Reviewed See Texas's rules
Septic systems allowed in Galveston County
The system types landplan.io permits in Galveston County:
- Absorptive Drainfields
- ET Drainfields
- Low Pressure-dosed Drainfields
- Drip Irrigation
- Mound
- Surface application disposal
- Soil Substitution System
Septic tank size in Galveston County
The daily design flow of a home: 75 gal/day per bedroom, at least 225 gal/day. The septic tank is sized from that flow:
| Daily design flow | Minimum tank |
|---|---|
| up to 250 gal/day | 750 gallons |
| 250 to 350 gal/day | 1,000 gallons |
| 350 to 500 gal/day | 1,250 gallons |
Septic setbacks in Galveston County
| From | To | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| LineString | Private water line | 10 Ft |
| LineString | Streams, Lakes, Creeks | 50 Ft |
| Point | Public water wells | 50 Ft |
| Point | Wells and underground cisterns | 100 Ft |
| Polygon | Existing Septic Component to be Abandoned | 5 ft |
| Polygon | Lakes, Pond, or Retention Basin | 50 Ft |
| Polygon | Swimming Pools | 5 Ft |
| Polygon | Underground Easements | 1 Ft |
Soil loading rates in Galveston County
| Table | Lowest | Highest | Soil groups |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soil Loading Rate | 0.1 gal/day/ft² | 0.5 gal/day/ft² | 5 |
landplan.io picks the rate from the soil test: texture, structure and percolation.
These are the values the landplan.io design engine applies in Galveston County. Confirm a design with the Texas health department or your county's before you build.
Parcel data in Galveston County
landplan.io has parcel boundaries for Galveston County (99.3% of its area): type an address and the design starts from the parcel.
Septic companies, designers and jobs in Texas
Where the rules come from
The regulations and documents landplan.io's Galveston County, Texas rules are read from:
- Chapter 285 - On-Site Sewage Facilities (OSSF) (30 Tex. Admin. Code (TAC) Chapter 285)
- Chapter 285 - On-Site Sewage Facilities, as adopted June 14, 2023 (TCEQ clean copy, with the full Table X, 285.91(10)) (30 TAC 285.91(10), Table X)
- North Carolina State University Sea Grant College Publication UNC-SG-82-04 (285.33(d)(3))
Near Galveston County
- Chambers County
- Brazoria County
- Harris County
- Liberty County
- Jefferson County
- Fort bend County
- Hardin County
- Montgomery County
- All of Texas
Questions
What septic systems are allowed in Galveston County?
landplan.io designs by Texas's state rules there and permits: Absorptive Drainfields, ET Drainfields, Low Pressure-dosed Drainfields, Drip Irrigation, Mound, Surface application disposal and Soil Substitution System.
What size septic tank do I need in Galveston County?
landplan.io sizes the septic tank in Galveston County from the daily design flow: up to 250 gal/day: 750 gallons; 250 to 350 gal/day: 1,000 gallons; 350 to 500 gal/day: 1,250 gallons. A home's design flow is 75 gal/day per bedroom, at least 225 gal/day.
How far must a septic system be from a well in Galveston County?
landplan.io keeps these distances in Galveston County: Point to wells and underground cisterns: 100 Ft; Point to public water wells: 50 Ft.
Does landplan.io have parcel data for Galveston County, Texas?
Yes: parcel boundaries cover Galveston County (99.3% of its area).