Quick answer
For water damage in Ross, 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 Ross WSC at 254-829-1289. 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 you are on a private well. Ross WSC supplies water from the Trinity Aquifer; for a leak at the meter, call 254-829-1289.
- 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. Mobile homes and older pier-and-beam houses stay damp underneath longer than the rooms above, so ask for readings under the floor.
Low county roads near Ross can flood after a hard rain. Never drive through water over a road. Floodwater can carry sewage and septic runoff, so treat it as contaminated.
What to know about water damage in Ross
1880
The year a post office named for Lawrence Sullivan Ross opened here, with Charles E. Kingsbury as postmaster. Ross had become a stop on the Houston and Texas Central Railway in the early 1870s.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Ross
Two railroads
In 1882 the Texas Central extended its track from Ross northwest to Albany, and the Missouri, Kansas and Texas laid track from Hillsboro to Taylor, a mile or two east of town.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Ross
Gin, mill, and fifty people
By 1884 Ross had a steam gristmill and cotton gin, a general store, two churches, a school, and fifty residents. Its school district joined West ISD in 1976.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Ross
I-35 and incorporation
Ross got a boost in the 1960s when US 81 became Interstate 35, and population estimates rose to 100. By 1980 residents had voted to incorporate.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Ross
Well water
Ross WSC provides groundwater from the Trinity Aquifer in McLennan County. Its water quality report lists 254-829-1289 for questions, with help in Spanish at the same number.
Source: Ross WSC water quality report
Older and mobile homes
About 37% of homes in Ross were built before 1980, and 21% are mobile homes. About 81% are owner-occupied, and the median home dates to 1985.
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Flash flood warnings in McLennan County
The National Weather Service issued 40 flash flood warnings that included McLennan County from 2016 through November 12, 2026. The year-by-year count is on the China Spring page.
Cost and insurance in Ross
How much does water damage restoration cost in Ross?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). Creek flooding needs a separate flood policy. Mobile home subfloors and pier-and-beam crawlspaces take longer.
Water removal and restoration in Ross
The company that answers handles burst pipes in hard freezes, water under mobile homes, well and supply line leaks, and septic backups, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Ross questions
Who do I call about a leak at the meter?
Call Ross WSC at 254-829-1289. For a leak inside your property line, close your main valve and call a plumber.
Who handles septic problems in Ross?
The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, 254-299-2473, runs the septic program for McLennan County and its cities. More county details are on the China Spring page.
Who was Ross named for?
Lawrence Sullivan Ross. The post office that opened here in 1880 was named in his honor.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
ZIP 76640 within the City of Ross. The ZIP also covers Elm Mott and nearby parts of McLennan County.
Related guides
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- Sewage backup: what to do first
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- 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: