Quick answer
For water damage in Plum, 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 Fayette County Inspector at 979-968-1809. 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 your main valve, or turn off the well pump breaker if your home runs on a private well. Plum has no city government; for a leak at the meter, call the number on your water bill.
- 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. Frame houses on pier-and-beam foundations hold water in the crawlspace, so ask for moisture readings under the floor as well as in the walls.
Creeks and low roads around Plum can flood after heavy rain. Never drive through water over a road. Floodwater can carry septic runoff, so treat it as contaminated.
What to know about water damage in Plum
1828
The year Andrew Castleman got the land grant where Tennessee families settled what became Plum Grove, the second oldest community in Fayette County. John Cooke's grant followed in 1831.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Plum
A Baptist first
The Hopewell, now Plum, Baptist Church was the first Baptist church in Texas west of the Colorado River, and the first in Texas to hold an ordination service.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Plum
Families from Moravia
In November 1890 three families from Hovězí, Moravia, came to Plum, and more Czech families followed from the Fayetteville area in 1891. Catholic Mass was first said here in 1893.
Source: Fayette County history, Plum
Oil in the Austin Chalk
Plum had about 280 people and seven businesses in 1950, and 95 people by the 1980s. Oil found in the Austin Chalk in the late 1970s and early 1980s helped the local economy.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Plum
Homes in Plum
The Census Bureau counts about 82 homes in the Plum CDP, all owner-occupied. The median home dates to 1989 and the median value is about $230,600.
Septic at the courthouse
The Fayette County Inspector's office, Room 307 of the courthouse at 151 N. Washington Street in La Grange, permits and inspects septic installs, repairs, and tank replacements.
9 damaged homes
After Hurricane Harvey in 2017, 14 homeowners in ZIP 78963 registered for FEMA aid. Inspectors found damage at 9 homes, totaling about $12,565. ZIP 78963 is the West Point post office area. Owners who did not apply are not counted.
Freezes and rain
The NOAA weather station at La Grange, about 9.1 miles away, averages 19.2 nights a year at or below 32°F and rarely drops to 20°F. In half of years the first freeze comes by November 25 and the last one after March 4. Pipes in outside walls, attics, and pier-and-beam crawlspaces are the first to split. It also averages 39.63 inches of rain a year, with about 12.4 days of an inch or more.
Check your ZIP
How often does Fayette County get flash flood warnings?
The National Weather Service issued 25 flash flood warnings that included Fayette County from 2016 through November 12, 2026, peaking at 7 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 | 7 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Cost and insurance in Plum
How much does water damage restoration cost in Plum?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). Creek flooding needs a separate flood policy. Pier-and-beam crawlspaces take longer.
Water removal and restoration in Plum
The company that answers handles burst pipes in hard freezes, well and supply line leaks, septic backups, and storm water after heavy rain, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Plum questions
Who handles septic permits near Plum?
The Fayette County Inspector at the courthouse in La Grange, 979-968-1809. Repairs and tank replacements need a permit and inspection.
How often does Plum freeze?
The NOAA station at La Grange, about 9 miles away, averages 19 nights a year at or below 32°F, and drops to 20°F less than once a year.
Did Hurricane Harvey damage homes here?
Yes. In ZIP 78963, 14 homeowners registered for FEMA aid after Harvey in 2017, and inspectors found damage at 9 homes.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
ZIP 78963, the West Point post office area, which includes part of Plum in Fayette 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: