We are in the process of building a commercial kitchen out of our carport space. I live in a rural area of a rural town and our water for our house is a family well that was dug in the 70s. The state of Texas is very specific on water regulations and water testing. Our well water was a no-go for a commercial kitchen because of the crops and livestock around us. We have to either put up a large portable tank and have it hauled in from 2 hours away at a $500+ delivery fee not including the water itself or hook up to the "town" water by having lines dug to our place and a meter installed. The meter is $75 non-refundable fee to get paperwork going, $500 fee for the engineer to draw up the plans to get the water dug to the house, $5150 for the meter, and who knows how much for the supplies and labor to get it all done. The tank would be just at much to buy the tank, install with an engineer that the state said would have to sign off on, and monthly bills to send water off for testing and approval once it is all hooked up. We went with the "town" water option but once it is said and done, we are looking at 7-8000 just for the water! Yikes! Oh, and that process of the engineer, digging, and hook-up we were told it takes 90 days. UGH!

We have four walls and electricity already in place though, thank goodness! We are working with the inspector and health department and it looks like it will be smooth sailing for us once the water is in place.

I have also gone through the paperwork with the state to become an LLC and got the paperwork back last week. The first two names I came up with were taken. My registered name is going to be Iced Creations, LLC!

Sorry about the woes but major congratulations on the future business. Love the name too!

Cute name. Hope all goes well for you from here on out!

Thanks! My next step, while waiting on the water, will be to work on a website. We are leaving on vacation next week and will be gone for about 10 days but once we return I plan to work night and day on getting my website, business cards, etc ready for when I am legal! 90 days seems like a long way off but I now have an end in sight so I am quite excited!

Could you not suggest using a bottled water company for the use of the water that goes into a recipe, and use your tap water just for washing? Did you get it tested? does it show that it is contaminated or something??

We had hoped the bottled water for cooking and tap for washing would work so we did ask for it but it was a no-go with the state.

As for testing our water, we didn't pursue that avenue once Austin said they would have to come in and set up testing equipment to not only test our water (which would have been fine) but to do a 30 hour test on our pump system on our well (which would have been fine too). They would essentially regulate everything about our private family well from here on out. The pump itself belongs to my parents and is near their house. The last thing we want is the state to come take it over. I swear, Texas has too many regulations! Some are good but too many can be a hassle!

Texas absolutely does! Not to be a downer at all- but 90 days is a breeze!! It took me 9 months of red tape- and I'm in Texas, too! GOOD LUCK!!

I am not surprised about the water issues.
My ex-hubby is a cotton/corn/milo/cattle farmer and we used to lived in a house surrounded on all sides by crops.
He was always using some kind of toxic chemical, either applying with a ground rig or by a crop duster.
If not that, it was planting with pesticide coated seed.
I made him use a uniform service and shower and change clothes before he came home in the evenings.
There is a small town about 20 miles from here that has an unusually high rate of bowel, uterine and breast cancer.
I am not surprised.