Quick answer
For water damage in Leesville, TX, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. For septic permits, call the Gonzales County permits office at 830-672-6209. 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. For a mobile home, the shutoff is usually under the home where the supply riser comes up through the skirting. If you are on a well, cut the pump breaker as well so the pressure tank stops refilling.
- 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. More than half the homes around Leesville are mobile homes, and water under a manufactured home soaks the insulation, so ask for the underside to be checked and dried.
Leesville was rebuilt a half mile west after the 1936 flood on O'Neill Creek. Creek crossings along SH 80 and county roads still go under in big storms, so do not drive into moving water, and keep children out of it.
What to know about water damage in Leesville
26 inches
Over twenty-six inches of rain fell on June 30, 1936, and devastated Leesville and the area around it. Several businesses and homes were rebuilt a half mile west on Highway 80.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Leesville
Capote, Leesburg, Leesville
The town was first named Capote, after the Capote Hills. Newburn H. Guinn named it Leesburg for his daughter Lee around 1870, and the post office became Leesville in 1874.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Leesville
An ox-powered mill
In the late 1860s Sylvester A. Hubbard built an ox-powered treadmill to grind corn and saw lumber. A brick kiln and a saddletree and stirrup factory followed.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Leesville
Septic permits
Gonzales County's permits office at 1811 Water Street in Gonzales issues septic permits after a site evaluation that checks the soil type. It asks owners to allow 5 to 7 working days to process an application.
Septic permit fees
Gonzales County lists septic permit fees of $310 for conventional systems and $410 for aerobic or engineered systems. A site in the floodplain needs an engineer or registered sanitarian to design it.
Three gins and a conference
Cotton became the main crop after the Civil War, and three gins ran at once. The Methodist church hosted the West Texas Conference on December 20, 1871. The last high school class graduated in 1947 before the school joined Nixon ISD.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Leesville
Homes around Leesville
The Census Bureau counts about 207 homes in ZIP 78122. About 56% are mobile homes, 46% were built since 2010, and the median home dates to 2008.
Source: Census Reporter, ZIP 78122, ACS 2024 5-year estimates
4 damaged homes
After Hurricane Harvey in 2017, 6 homeowners in ZIP 78122 registered for FEMA aid. Inspectors found damage at 4 homes, totaling about $1,929. Owners who did not apply are not counted.
Freezes and rain
The NOAA weather station at Nixon, about 12.6 miles away, averages 21.1 nights a year at or below 32°F and rarely drops to 20°F. In half of years the first freeze comes by November 22 and the last one after March 7. Pipes in outside walls, attics, and pier-and-beam crawlspaces are the first to split. It also averages 34.39 inches of rain a year, with about 10.8 days of an inch or more.
Check your ZIP
How often does Gonzales County get flash flood warnings?
The National Weather Service issued 25 flash flood warnings that included Gonzales County from 2016 through November 12, 2026, peaking at 8 in 2021. 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 | 6 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 3 |
Cost and insurance in Leesville
How much does water damage restoration cost in Leesville?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). O'Neill Creek overflow is a flood claim, not a homeowners claim. Belly wrap and floor insulation hold water for weeks.
Water removal and restoration in Leesville
The company that answers handles split supply lines under manufactured homes, wet belly wrap, water heater closet leaks, and septic backups after heavy rain, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Leesville questions
What does a septic permit cost in Gonzales County?
The county lists $310 for a conventional system and $410 for an aerobic or engineered one. Call the permits office at 830-672-6209 before work starts.
Has Leesville flooded before?
Yes. On June 30, 1936, more than 26 inches of rain devastated the town, and some homes and businesses were rebuilt a half mile west.
How often does Leesville freeze?
The NOAA station at Nixon, about 13 miles away, averages about 21 nights a year at or below 32°F, and in half of years the first freeze comes by November 22.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
ZIP 78122, the Leesville post office area in southwestern Gonzales County.
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: