Buying Acreage in Elbert County? Read the Well Permit Before You Fall for the Property

If you’re buying acreage in Elbert County, Colorado, look up the property’s well permit before you write an offer. The permit, issued by the Colorado Division of Water Resources, lists exactly what the well’s water can be used for. That decides whether you can water a garden, keep animals or do anything beyond using water inside the house. Here’s how we walk our buyers through it.

By Ginger Giles, Giles Team, Coldwell Banker Realty

Why does the well permit matter so much?

Most rural homes around Elizabeth, Kiowa and the rest of Elbert County don’t have town water. They run on a private well. When you buy the property, you’re also buying whatever that well is permitted to do.

Buyers often picture a garden, a few trees, maybe horses. Then they learn the well can only be used inside the house. That’s a hard discovery after the inspection deadline has passed, and it’s an easy one to avoid if you read one document early.

Who issues well permits in Colorado?

The Colorado Division of Water Resources (DWR) issues well permits statewide. Elbert County doesn’t issue them. That means the rules work the same in Elbert County and in Douglas County (Franktown, rural Castle Rock and rural Parker).

Every permit is on file with the state. You can look one up with DWR’s online Well Permit Search by permit number, address, owner name or legal description. DWR also has a map viewer for finding wells by location.

What does “household use only” mean?

Many rural wells carry a household use only permit. Under Colorado law, that kind of well supplies water for ordinary household purposes inside a single-family home, and it can’t be used for irrigation.

In practice, that usually means:

• Yes: drinking, cooking, bathing, laundry and other indoor household use.
• Generally no: watering a lawn, garden or trees, filling a stock tank, or other outdoor uses.

Other permit types allow more, such as limited outdoor watering or livestock. The allowed uses are spelled out on each permit, so read the actual permit for the property you’re considering.

What is the Denver Basin, and why does it come up?

Many wells in this part of Colorado draw from the Denver Basin aquifers, layers of groundwater beneath the region. DWR has additional rules for Denver Basin wells. These rules can affect which aquifer a well draws from and how much water can be withdrawn for a given amount of land. If a permit mentions a Denver Basin aquifer, it’s worth reading the conditions closely.

How do I read a well permit?

When you pull up a permit, look for:

1. Permit number and status: make sure it matches the well on the property.
2. Use(s): what the water can be used for. This is the most important line.
3. Location: the legal description or location of the well, to confirm it’s the right one.
4. Aquifer: the aquifer named, if any (for example, a Denver Basin aquifer).
5. Conditions of approval: any limits on pumping rate, annual amount or use.

If something doesn’t match, such as a permit for a different location, or a use that doesn’t fit what you plan to do, raise it before your inspection deadline.

What should I ask the seller about the well?

• Can you share the well permit number and any well records?
• Has the well been tested for water quality or flow? When?
• Has the pump or pressure tank been serviced or replaced? When?
• Is any water hauled or stored (for example, in a cistern)?

Also ask your lender whether it requires a water test, and build that test into your inspection period.

How do we handle wells in a Colorado contract?

Colorado purchase contracts run on a schedule of deadlines, and well and water questions belong inside them. We plan the timeline so you have time to review the permit and the records, and to test the water if you choose, before your inspection and due-diligence deadlines pass. McLean looks at the well equipment and the property itself. I keep the contract deadlines on track.

What about the septic system?

Wells and septic systems go together on rural property. In Elbert County, a home with a septic system needs a septic Use Permit when it’s sold. Read our septic Use Permit guide for the details.

The short version

• Every Colorado well has a state permit, and you can look it up online.
• “Household use only” generally means water for use inside the home only, not irrigation.
• Denver Basin wells have extra state rules.
• Read the permit before you write an offer, and build water questions into your contract deadlines.

Frequently asked questions

Can I water my garden from a household-use-only well?

Generally, no. Under Colorado law, a household-use-only well supplies water for ordinary household purposes inside a single-family home and can’t be used for irrigation. Check the specific permit for the property.

Where can I look up a Colorado well permit?

Use the Colorado Division of Water Resources’ online Well Permit Search. You can search by permit number, address, owner name or legal description.

Does Elbert County issue well permits?

No. Well permits in Colorado are issued by the state’s Division of Water Resources, not by the county.

Can I keep horses on a property with a household-use-only well?

Watering livestock generally isn’t an allowed use on a household-use-only permit. Zoning also limits animal numbers. Check both the well permit and the zoning before you plan on horses. See our Douglas & Elbert County Acreage Guide.

Thinking about acreage in Elbert County? Call or text the Giles Team at (720) 593-2378 or email team@gilesteam.com.

Giles Team | Coldwell Banker Realty South Metro · 6501 E Belleview Ave, Suite 500, Englewood, CO 80111 · (720) 593-2378 · team@gilesteam.com · McLean Giles, CO license FA.100052648 · Ginger Giles, CO license FA.100052642

General information, checked against Colorado Division of Water Resources and Colorado statute sources in October 2026. Confirm current rules for any specific property.