Quick answer
For water damage in Garfield, TX, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. For a leak at the meter, call Garfield WSC at 512-247-2139. 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, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a well. Garfield WSC serves members along Highway 71, River Timber, Caldwell Lane, and Navarro Creek Road.
- 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 66% of Garfield's homes are manufactured homes. Water under one soaks the belly wrap and floor insulation, so ask the crew to open the underside and dry it with readings before it is closed.
Travis County had 17 flash flood warnings in 2016 and 12 in 2025. The Colorado River bottoms and low crossings near Garfield flood fast, so never drive into water over a road.
What to know about water damage in Garfield
24 hrs
Travis County's deadline to clean up or correct exposed sewage once a septic violation is found. Complaints about a septic system require a health hazard inspection.
Source: Travis County permit enforcement
Named for a president
Garfield formed around 1880 and was probably named for President James A. Garfield, in office when its post office opened in 1881. The post office closed in 1902, and mail went to Del Valle.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Garfield
1884 settlement
In 1884 Garfield reported fifteen residents, a church, a school, a steam gristmill, a cotton gin, and a general store. Its schools joined the Colorado district, later Del Valle ISD, in 1954.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Garfield
Growth along the river
Developments on the Colorado River drew new residents in the 1980s. Garfield had about 745 people in 1988, 1,660 in 2000, and 1,825 in 2020.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Garfield
A member-owned water system
Community leaders formed Garfield WSC in 1966 with about 100 members. The nonprofit now serves about 700 members.
Source: Garfield WSC
County septic permits
Travis County permits septic systems outside city limits, and owners need a license to operate as well as a permit to build. Inspection requests are due by 2 p.m. the working day before.
Source: Travis County OSSF permits
Homes in Garfield
About 83% are owner-occupied, the median home dates to 2000, and the median value is about $112,100.
Freezes and rain
The NOAA weather station at Austin-Bergstrom Airport, about 5.2 miles away, averages 33.0 nights a year at or below 32°F and 1.7 at or below 20°F. In half of years the first freeze comes by November 16 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 35.57 inches of rain a year, with about 10.4 days of an inch or more.
Check your ZIP
How often does Travis County get flash flood warnings?
The National Weather Service issued 74 flash flood warnings that included Travis County from 2016 through November 12, 2026, peaking at 17 in 2016. 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 | 17 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 12 |
| 2026 | 4 |
Cost and insurance in Garfield
How much does water damage restoration cost in Garfield?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). Colorado River or creek water that rises into the home is a flood claim. Manufactured home bellies and subfloors hold water longest.
Water removal and restoration in Garfield
The company that answers handles water under manufactured homes along Highway 71, septic backups and failing drain fields on rural lots, frozen well and yard lines in winter, and Colorado River bottom flooding, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Garfield questions
Who supplies water in Garfield?
Garfield Water Supply Corporation, 512-247-2139 during office hours. Some homes are on private wells.
Who handles septic problems in Garfield?
Travis County's septic program. The inspection team is at 512-854-4438. Travis County data for Volente is on this page too.
How cold does Garfield get?
The NOAA station at Austin-Bergstrom Airport averages about 33 nights a year at or below 32°F and about 2 at or below 20°F.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
The Garfield parts of ZIPs 78617 and 78612. Those ZIPs also cover Del Valle and Cedar Creek.
Related guides
Other Texas towns- Water mitigation vs. restoration
- Sewage backup: what to do first
- 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: