Kaufman County service area
Who permits septic in each Kaufman County town
Kaufman County Development Services permits septic across most of the county, including inside Forney, Kaufman, Crandall, Kemp, Talty, and Scurry. The exceptions: the cities of Terrell, Oak Ridge, and Heath run their own programs, and the Tarrant Regional Water District permits septic within 2,000 feet of Cedar Creek Lake's 325-foot flood pool contour, outside city limits.
Septic permits and sewer by town
A town name is where to start, not the answer. City limits, county lines, and the lake zone decide the office for each parcel, and the town pages explain how to check yours.
| Town | Who permits septic | Sewer or septic |
|---|---|---|
| Forney, TX | Kaufman County Development Services, inside and outside city limits | City sewer in town. Devonshire, Travis Ranch, Heartland, and Windmill Farms run on utility systems. Septic is on the acreage, mostly aerobic. |
| Terrell, TX | City of Terrell (Municipal Development) inside city limits; Kaufman County outside | City standards generally require sewer. Ask Municipal Development whether septic is allowed before relying on the ordinance's 3/4-acre minimum on public water. |
| Kaufman, TX | Kaufman County Development Services, inside and outside city limits | City sewer in town, though not on every street. Older systems on tight in-town lots, aerobic on acreage. |
| Crandall, TX | Kaufman County Development Services, inside and outside city limits | Heartland gets water and sewer from Inframark. Septic is on the acreage, mostly young aerobic systems. |
| Kemp, TX | Kaufman County; TRWD within 2,000 ft of the 325-ft flood pool contour, outside city limits | The City of Kemp runs its own wastewater plant. Older lake systems are common, and new spray systems are banned in the TRWD zone. |
| Talty, TX | Kaufman County Development Services, inside and outside town limits | Septic is common on large lots, usually aerobic. Some newer subdivisions in the area use utility district sewer. |
| Scurry, TX | Kaufman County Development Services, inside and outside town limits | Rural tracts on septic, nearly all outside any sewer service. Check the parcel's usable area before you buy. |
| Poetry, TX | Kaufman County on the Kaufman side; Hunt County Health Department on the Hunt side | Rural acreage on septic. The appraisal record tells you which county you are in. |
| Oak Ridge, TX | City of Oak Ridge inside city limits; Kaufman County outside | Septic on public water needs at least 3/4 acre inside the city. City Hall is open Monday to Wednesday. |
| Mabank, TX | Kaufman County on the Kaufman side; TRWD near the lake outside city limits; Henderson County on unincorporated Henderson land | City sewer in much of town. Lake lots and rural tracts on septic, with drip instead of spray inside the TRWD zone. |
| Combine, TX | Kaufman County on the Kaufman side; confirm with Dallas County Environmental Health on the Dallas side | Rural city. Plan on septic unless a sewer main reaches the parcel. |
| Heath, TX | City of Heath inside city limits, on both the Rockwall and Kaufman County sides | Heath has city sewer, and new subdivisions are generally expected to connect. Neighboring McLendon-Chisholm runs its own septic program. |
How to check which office permits your parcel
- Look up the property on the Kaufman County appraisal district search (esearch.kaufman-cad.org). If it does not appear, try the property ID and legal description. A missing search result does not establish the county. Check the survey or deed and contact the appraisal district; nearby parcels can lie in Hunt, Henderson, Dallas, or Rockwall County.
- Read the taxing units on the record or your tax statement. They list the county and any city the parcel is inside.
- If Terrell, Oak Ridge, or Heath is listed, that city permits your septic system.
- If the parcel is near Cedar Creek Lake and outside city limits, call TRWD with the property ID to ask whether it falls within 2,000 feet of the 325-foot flood pool contour.
- Otherwise, on the Kaufman County side, the county permits it, even inside city limits.
The city vs county septic permit guide walks through these checks with examples, and the Kaufman County septic permit guide covers the application itself.
Septic permit offices and contacts
| Office | Covers | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Kaufman County Development Services | Most of the county, including inside Forney, Kaufman, Crandall, Kemp, Talty, Scurry, Mabank, and Combine | 101 N. Houston St., Kaufman, TX 75142. (469) 376-4127. publicworks@kaufmancounty.net. Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m. |
| City of Terrell, Municipal Development | Inside Terrell city limits | 400 Industrial Blvd., Terrell (from June 8, 2026). septic@cityofterrell.org. Septic (972) 551-6606, main line 972-551-6600. |
| City of Oak Ridge | Inside Oak Ridge city limits | 8450 N. State Highway 34. P.O. Box 458, Kaufman, TX 75142. (469) 474-7078. city.secretary@ci-or-tx.org. |
| City of Heath, Building Inspections | Inside Heath city limits, including the Kaufman County part of Heath | 200 Laurence Dr., Heath, TX 75032. (972) 771-6228. |
| Tarrant Regional Water District, Cedar Creek Lake office | Within 2,000 feet of Cedar Creek Lake's 325-foot flood pool contour, outside city limits unless a city contracts with TRWD | 6613 Ashby Lane, Trinidad, TX 75163. 903-432-2814. Call to confirm a parcel before relying on it. |
Neighboring counties have their own offices. The Poetry, Mabank, Combine, and Heath pages list the Hunt, Henderson, Dallas, and Rockwall County contacts.
Kaufman County septic permit questions
Need septic work somewhere in Kaufman County?
Send one request to relevant independent local contractor partners.