Utility water
Ask which utility or district serves the parcel, whether service is active, transfer steps, deposits, meter location, and any past shutoff or pressure issues.
First question
Confirm the actual water source, not just the listing wording.
In Mohave County, two nearby parcels can have very different water realities. Before relying on a sales flyer, ask for documents, meter or well details, storage capacity, access arrangements, and the names of providers who currently service the property.
Two hard numbers worth knowing up front: wells pumping more than 35 gallons per minute are not "exempt" and require additional Arizona Department of Water Resources steps, and every Arizona sale of a property on septic triggers a transfer inspection with a $50 Mohave County Notice of Transfer fee. Figures last verified June 2026.
Private well
Ask for well records, pump age, pressure-tank details, recent test results, repair history, power requirements, and whether the well serves more than one parcel.
Hauled water
Confirm tank or cistern size, delivery truck access, average usage, refill cost, backup providers, and whether roads remain passable after storms.
Buyer and seller checklist
Use this before inspection period deadlines.
1. Identify the system
Is the property on a public/private utility, shared well, private exempt well, non-exempt well, hauled water tank, or a combination?
Do not assume from neighborhood names2. Check quality and capacity
Ask about potability testing, flow or recovery, pressure, filtration, softening, sediment, arsenic or mineral concerns, and whether the system supports the intended household use.
Use qualified local testing where needed3. Match water to septic
Confirm septic location, setbacks, transfer inspection timing, and whether grading, tanks, leach fields, or wells conflict with future plans.
Water and wastewater should be reviewed together4. Plan for outages
Ask what happens when power is out, roads are flooded, a pump fails, or a delivery truck cannot reach the tank. Keep emergency water appropriate for people and animals.
Especially important on rural acreage5. Read the full water guide
Wells (the 35-GPM exempt rule and ADWR steps), hauled water, and district connections, compared.
Water guide →Provider handoff notes
Questions local professionals can copy into customer emails.
For water haulers
What neighborhoods do you serve, what tank size do you prefer, what driveway clearance is needed, and how far ahead should new owners schedule first delivery?
For well providers
What records should a buyer request, what tests are useful, what pump or pressure-tank symptoms deserve attention, and what service area limits apply?
For inspectors
What is included in a general home inspection, what requires a specialist, and what separate water/septic tests should be scheduled before deadlines?
For title, lenders, and agents
Where are agreements, easements, shared-well documents, utility balances, and transfer requirements recorded or verified before closing?
Share this checklist
Share this as a neutral rural-property explainer.
If your Mohave County business or organization helps residents with wells, hauling, septic, inspections, title, lending, insurance, moving, church benevolence, or relocation, you may link to this page from a resource list. Send corrections or local additions to the contact form.