Quick answer
For water damage in Aurora, TX, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. Check your bill for the water provider, then call it about the meter. Then call a water damage restoration company; drying should start within 24 to 48 hours. Texas insurers must acknowledge your claim within 15 days.
Do this first
Local water and septic lines.
- Shut off the water. Close the valve at your meter box, then check your bill. The city lists Southwest Water Company as the water provider in Aurora, and the city itself has no public works department.
- Make it safe and document it. Cut power to wet rooms from a dry spot, photograph the damage, then report the claim.
- Start drying within 24 to 48 hours. About 30% of Aurora's homes are manufactured homes, and 30% were built since 2010. Water that gets under a manufactured home soaks the belly wrap, so ask for the underside to be opened and dried.
Wise County had 8 flash flood warnings in 2024 and 6 in 2025. Low crossings on the county roads around Aurora can go under fast, so turn around at any water over the road.
What to know about water damage in Aurora
1897
The year an Aurora cotton buyer published a story in the Dallas Morning News about an airship crashing outside town. The Handbook of Texas calls it fiction meant to draw attention to Aurora.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Aurora
Bypassed by the railroad
Aurora incorporated on August 21, 1882. After a spotted fever outbreak in 1888 and the railroad's 1891 decision to skip the town, most residents moved two miles southeast to Rhome.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Aurora
Growing again
Aurora began a rebirth in the early 1970s as a bedroom community of Fort Worth. It had an estimated 376 residents in 1986, 623 in 1990, and 1,390 at the 2020 census.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Aurora
A limited city system
The city has no public works department. It contracts with an outside firm for testing and upkeep of its limited water system, and lists Southwest Water Company for water service.
Sources: City of Aurora public works, utility resources
Septic permits required
Wise County does not issue general building permits, but septic permits are required. The county points residents to Public Works for them.
Source: Wise County FAQ
Homes in Aurora
About 85% of homes are owner-occupied, and the median home dates to 2001. The median value is about $341,800.
Freezes and rain
The NOAA weather station at Fort Worth Alliance Airport, about 10.7 miles away, averages 44.9 nights a year at or below 32°F and 5.2 at or below 20°F. In half of years the first freeze comes by November 17 and the last one after March 12. Pipes in outside walls, attics, and pier-and-beam crawlspaces are the first to split. It also averages 36.61 inches of rain a year, with about 10.4 days of an inch or more.
Check your ZIP
How often does Wise County get flash flood warnings?
The National Weather Service issued 29 flash flood warnings that included Wise County from 2016 through November 12, 2026, peaking at 8 in 2024. Each one means flooding is happening or about to happen.
Source: our count from the National Weather Service warning archive, Iowa Environmental Mesonet.
| Year | Warnings |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 | 2 |
Cost and insurance in Aurora
How much does water damage restoration cost in Aurora?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). Creek or storm water that flows in from outside is a flood claim. Manufactured homes need the belly and subfloor dried, not just the rooms.
Water removal and restoration in Aurora
The company that answers handles water under manufactured homes, burst pipes in hard freezes, appliance leaks in newer homes, and septic backups, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Aurora questions
Who handles septic permits in Wise County?
Wise County Public Works, 940-627-9332. Wise County data for New Fairview and Alvord is on this page too.
Who supplies water in Aurora?
The city lists Southwest Water Company. Check your bill for the exact provider before calling about the meter.
When is Aurora City Hall open?
Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 320 Derting Road. The number is 817-636-2783.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
The Aurora part of ZIP 76078. The ZIP also covers Rhome and New Fairview.
Related guides
Other Texas towns- Sewage backup: what to do first
- Water mitigation vs. restoration
- Burst pipe repair cost
- Texas insurance claim deadlines, in plain English
- Frozen and burst pipes: what to do
- Does homeowners insurance cover water damage?
- How long water damage takes to dry
Local phone numbers checked November 2026: