Texas Law & Rule

The largest area on the General Pump Installer exam — about 20 of 60 questions.

Know this first: pump installers are governed by Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1902 (Water Well Pump Installers) — not Chapter 1901, which covers drillers. Both trades share the same rules in 16 TAC Chapter 76.

Licensing

• A person may not act or offer to act as an installer without a license (§1902.151).
• An installer installs or repairs water well pumps and equipment. The definition excludes a person working on their own property for their own use (§1902.001), and the commission may not regulate pump work done by an owner on property they own or control, their employee, or an uncompensated person acting for them (§1901.052(b), §76.30).
• The commission establishes an apprentice pump installer program (§1902.153). An apprentice must register and work under a licensee who has been licensed at least two years (§76.27).
• A license is not transferable or assignable (§1902.158).
• Continuing education (§76.25): for renewals on or after March 1, 2024, 8 hours per renewal period — 1 hour on statutes and rules plus 7 industry hours.

Installing and repairing pumps

The statute is short: "An installer shall install or repair pumps under standards and procedures adopted by the commission with the advice of the council" (§1902.251). The real detail is in the rules, especially §76.108.

§76.108 — Technical Requirements, Pump Installation

• Protect the groundwater. During any repair or installation, make a reasonable effort to maintain the integrity of groundwater and prevent contamination by elevating the pump column and fittings, or other suitable means.
• Disinfection. The installer must disinfect the well by:
  1. treating the water in the casing to an average disinfectant residual of 50 mg/l for the entire volume of water in the casing (calcium hypochlorite tablets, sodium hypochlorite solution, or another appropriate disinfectant);
  2. circulating the disinfected water through casing and pump column; and
  3. pumping the well for a minimum of 15 minutes to remove the disinfected water.
• Introduce the disinfectant into the open casing or through the well vent, let it dissolve per the manufacturer's specifications, then flush.
• An installer may not place any material in a well that has been used to produce oil or gas.
• Closed connections. A pump must be built so no unprotected openings into the pump interior or well casing exist. A power-driven pump must attach to the casing or approved suction/discharge line by a closed (sealed) connection. A hand pump, hand pump head, or stand must have a check valve to prevent pollution.
• Exceptions to the closed-connection rule: sucker rod pumps and windmills, and hand pumps.

Injurious water and bad wells

• §1902.252 / §76.71: on encountering water injurious to vegetation, land, or other water, notify the landowner within 24 hours and send the Injurious Water or Constituents Report to the department within 30 days. The well must be repaired or properly completed to avoid injury or pollution.
• §1902.253: an installer who knows of an abandoned or deteriorated well must notify the landowner that it must be plugged or capped.
• Plugging report: due within 30 days after plugging (§1901.255(d)); a licensed pump installer may plug a well under §76.104.

Reports and marking

Requirement	Detail	Cite
Well report	Filed by the 60th day after the work	§76.70
Injurious water	Landowner 24 hours; department 30 days	§76.71
Refusal of access	Signed statement within 48 hours	§76.72
Vehicle marking	License number on each side, at least 2 inches high, contrasting color, within 30 days of issuance	§76.74

Other technical rules to know

• §76.100 — well locations (150 / 100 / 50-foot setbacks) and standards of completion.
• §76.104 — standards for capping and plugging (cap sustains 400 pounds, not removable by hand).
• §76.106 — Water Distribution and Delivery Systems.
• §76.107 — Chemical Injection, Chemigation, and Foreign Substance Systems — chemicals can back-siphon into a well, so these systems need backflow protection.

Enforcement

• Civil penalty: not less than $200 and not more than $1,000 for each day or act of noncompliance (§1902.401).
• The executive director may seek an injunction, and the attorney general may bring an action for penalties or injunctive relief (§§1902.402, 1902.404).

Sources: Tex. Occ. Code Ch. 1902 (§§1902.001, .151, .153, .158, .251, .252, .253, .401); 16 TAC Ch. 76 (§§76.25, 76.27, 76.30, 76.70–76.74, 76.100, 76.104, 76.106–76.108). Verify all figures against the current official text before relying on them.