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How much does it cost to drill a well in Sierra Vista, AZ? (2026 guide)

Last updated 2026-10-22. Figures below come from the public sources listed at the bottom. They are estimates, not quotes. Your price depends on your property.

Short answer: it varies, mostly with depth. WellDrillingCosts.com estimates about $12,600 for an average Sierra Vista residential well (280 ft) and $15,400 to $26,800 for a complete 300 ft system, based on $30 to $68 per foot for drilling. Many wells in the area are 160 to 500 ft deep, and some are much deeper. The only way to know your number is quotes from licensed drillers who know your area.

1. Depth is the biggest cost driver

Median drilled depths from ADWR well registration records, grouped by ZIP code (compiled by ArizonaWellData.com from the ADWR database):

ZIP / area	Median drilled depth
85650 Sierra Vista	~250 ft
85635 Sierra Vista	~320 ft
85636 Sierra Vista	~160 ft
85615 Hereford	~240 ft
85616 Huachuca City	~330 ft
85638 Tombstone	~400 ft
85603 Bisbee	~330 ft
85620 Naco	~285 ft
Cochise County, all wells	~300 ft (middle half 160–500 ft; median static water level ~130 ft)
Cochise County, wells drilled since 2016	~609 ft

2. Published cost estimates

WellDrillingCosts.com's Sierra Vista page (2026) lists:

Depth	Drilling only	Complete system*
200 ft	$6,000–$13,600	$11,600–$19,200
300 ft	$9,000–$20,400	$15,400–$26,800
400 ft	$12,000–$27,200	$19,200–$34,400
500 ft	$15,000–$34,000	$23,000–$42,000

*Their "complete system" includes casing, pump, pressure tank, electrical and permits. These are third-party estimates, not quotes. Hard rock, larger casing or a dry first attempt can push costs higher.

3. Other costs to ask about

ADWR Notice of Intent filing fee: $100 for a domestic-only well with a pump of 35 gallons per minute or less that is outside an Active Management Area (AMA) and Irrigation Non-Expansion Area (INA); otherwise $150 (A.R.S. § 45-596). The Sierra Vista sub-basin is not in an AMA or INA, but parts of eastern Cochise County are in the Douglas AMA (designated December 2022), so ask your driller which applies to your parcel.
Pump, pressure tank, wiring and hookup: varies with depth, pump size and distance to the house. Get it itemized.
Water testing and treatment: varies. Ask whether a test is included.
Site access: rough or steep lots can add cost.

4. Repair, deepening and inspection

Pump replacement, deepening an existing well and inspections are priced job by job. Deepening a well also requires an ADWR Notice of Intent. We do not publish made-up averages for these. Ask for an itemized written quote.

5. Tips for comparing quotes

Confirm the contractor's Arizona Registrar of Contractors license and ADWR well driller license.
Compare price per foot, casing type and diameter, and what happens if the first hole is dry.
Ask who files the ADWR Notice of Intent and the well completion paperwork.
Get pump, tank and electrical priced separately from drilling.

Want real numbers for your property? Every lot is different. Request free quotes from local licensed drillers →

Sources

ADWR, Well Drilling in Arizona: azwater.gov/permitting-wells/well-drilling-arizona
Arizona Revised Statutes § 45-596, Notice of intention to drill; fee: azleg.gov/ars/45/00596.htm
University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center, Water in Cochise County fact sheet (Feb 2026): wrrc.arizona.edu
ADWR, Upper San Pedro Basin AMA review report (2005), describing the Sierra Vista sub-basin: PDF; Herald/Review on the 2025 court ruling: myheraldreview.com
ArizonaWellData.com, Cochise County ADWR well records: arizonawelldata.com/counties/cochise
WellDrillingCosts.com, Sierra Vista AZ: welldrillingcosts.com/cities/sierra-vista-az