Getting to Leonard
The town sits in the southwest corner of Fannin County, where US 69 crosses SH 78. From the courthouse square in Bonham it's about 16 miles, a little under half an hour by SH 121 and FM 896.
We also work the country around town: Bailey and Randolph to the north, Trenton to the northwest, and the county roads running toward Celeste and the Hunt County line. The rest of the county is on our Fannin County service area page.
Water, sewer and septic around Leonard
Public records show four different setups within a few miles of the square.
City water from deep wells
The city pumps its own groundwater from wells drilled roughly 1,600 to 1,700 feet into the Woodbine sand. In 2024 the state approved $8.48 million for a new elevated tank and about 40,000 feet of new water line.
Rural water past the city limits
Out of town, Arledge Ridge WSC serves the north side, Hickory Creek SUD the east and south, and West Leonard WSC the west. All three run on wells.
City sewer on old clay mains
The city runs its own sewer plant. KXII reported in 2025 that clay tile pipe runs throughout town and cracks, letting in rainwater and roots, and that a $5.6 million project is replacing five main sewer lines.
Septic on the county roads
Outside town, septic permits come from Fannin County's environmental office in Bonham, for any new or repaired system on any size tract. Nearly all new systems in the county are spray systems: 255 of 269 in 2025.
Older houses on shrink-swell clay
Census estimates put the median Leonard house at about 1972, and roughly a third of the homes in town were built before 1960. Houses that age often still have cast iron drains, and the oldest may have galvanized water pipe. Both corrode from the inside, so the first sign is usually a slow drain or weak pressure, well before anything leaks.
The ground adds to it. The soil map around town is mostly Fairlie clay, with Houston Black clay to the east, and the county soil survey says these soils shrink and swell as they wet and dry. Year after year, that movement works on old sewer joints and the pipe under slabs.
Jobs we take on in town:
- Drain cleaning in Leonard for slow sinks, tubs and main line backups
- Sewer line repair on old clay and cast iron lines under the yard
- Water heater repair and replacement, gas or electric
- Water line repair and repiping when old galvanized pipe gives out
- Toilet, faucet and disposal repair
Questions from Leonard
How soon can you get to Leonard?
Usually the same day you call. If water is running, close the main shutoff before you call and tell us it's off.
Is my house on city sewer or septic?
Inside the city limits you're most likely on city sewer, and out on the county roads you're most likely on septic. If you aren't sure, look for a tank lid or the sprinkler heads of an aerobic system in the yard.
Who permits septic systems outside town?
Fannin County does, through its environmental office at 1203 E. Sam Rayburn Drive in Bonham. We clear and repair the drain line from the house to the tank. Pumping the tank or fixing the treatment unit takes a separate state license, and we'll tell you straight when that's what you need.
What do you get called for most in Leonard?
Mostly slow drains and main line backups in the older houses, and water heaters near the end of their life. If several drains back up at once, or the toilet gurgles when the washer empties, the trouble is usually in the main line, past where a plunger can reach.
Call 903-000-0000 or request service online.
