A backyard opening on Wheeler Avenue that Karen Jennings initially thought might be a city manhole was identified by Houston's wastewater operations department as an abandoned, hand-dug water well about 15 to 16 feet deep. The department classified it as a private-property issue.
The opening was discovered during landscaping work in April 2026, according to ABC13 Houston. A former tenant later fell into it while weeding. A plumbing company called to inspect the hole drained standing water and saw bricks lining the shaft, some stamped Houston. The company thought it might be an old city manhole, the station reported.
That assumption didn't hold up once city inspectors got involved. Houston's wastewater operations department determined, per the station's report, that the structure is actually an abandoned groundwater-fed water well, not municipal infrastructure. The department's report found, as reported by ABC13 Houston, that the well's cover had deteriorated over time, letting bricks and debris fall into the shaft and create the appearance of a sinkhole.
Why City Crews Won't Touch It
Jennings submitted multiple 311 requests asking the city to help fill the hole, but an earlier report had already classified it as a private problem and not a City of Houston issue, as reported by ABC13 Houston. A separate KPRC 2 report described 311 records for a Westchase water leak classified as a private-property issue.
For now, the hole sits covered with plywood and marked with a Houston Public Works sign, and the city has classified it as a private-property issue.
Jennings says she remains concerned that someone could fall into the hole, including a member of her family or a lawn-care worker.
The Legal Weight Now on Jennings' Shoulders
Under Texas Occupations Code § 1901.255, a well must be plugged or brought into compliance within 180 days, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, as noted by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The same guide defines a water well as abandoned when it is not in use.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation says property owners are responsible for plugging abandoned or deteriorated wells on their land. Owners can plug a well themselves or hire a licensed water well driller or licensed pump installer. An owner who does the work must submit a State of Texas Plugging Report within 30 days, the agency says in its guidance.
Other Sinkhole Cases
A Cordova backyard sinkhole case covered by Hoodline earlier this year was in Memphis, where the city planned to visit the Ambroses' home. In April, a sinkhole on Veterans Memorial Drive in northwest Houston swallowed a vehicle and sent two adults to the hospital, a reminder of how quickly underground failures can turn dangerous in the Houston area.
What State Well Records Can—and Can’t—Show
The Texas Water Development Board says its Groundwater Database contains records of nearly 140,000 wells statewide. That is not a Harris County count.
The state database also does not capture every historical report: the Texas Water Development Board says drillers’ reports submitted by mail before the Submitted Drillers Report Database was created are excluded from it and are available through the TCEQ Water Well Report Viewer.
For now, Jennings is left watching a plywood-covered hole in her own backyard, aware that state law makes her responsible for the fix.
