What Is The Cost Of Drilling A Borehole In South Africa?
The cost of drilling a borehole in South Africa is R250 to R1,000 per meter on average, depending on the location, purpose of the borehole, and ground hardness level. Boreholes for domestic use are cheaper compared to boreholes meant for industrial use.
To find the total price of drilling your borehole in South Africa, multiply the total depth by the price per meter. The total price of a borehole in South Africa is R10,000 to R500,000.
Drillers use either electric or fuel-powered water drilling machines in south africa. Fuel-powered drillers are an excellent option if you plan to rill in off-grid areas of South Africa.
Electric water drilling machines use electricity; therefore, you need a budget plan for the electricity bills. A running drilling machine may use up to 1,000 watts of electricity depending on the hardness of the ground.
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Borehole Water Drilling Prices In South Africa Per Depth
| Borehole Depth (Meters) | Price Of Drilling |
|---|---|
| 20 | R.10,000-R.20,000 |
| 50 | R.20,000-R.40,000 |
| 100 | R.50,000-R.100,000 |
| 200 | R.70,000-R.200,000 |
| 400 | R.150,000-R.400,000 |
| 500 | R.200,000-R-500,000 |
What is the length of boreholes in South Africa?
The average depth of boreholes in South Africa is 120m, while the maximum length is 500m. Drilling a borehole deeper than this is very dangerous, even though it can be done in some areas in South Africa.
A borehole drilled too deep will affect the ground’s stability, and the buildings close to the house will be at risk of tumbling down. The danger in this is that you cannot estimate when it will fall because this depends on the strength of the soil around the area.
Though there are places with solid ground to handle up to over 1,000 meters, boreholes are drilled. The safest depth should not go past 700 meters, and this is in places with solid ground.
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What are the requirements & Regulations for drilling a borehole in South Africa?
1. Notifying Local Authorities
Before drilling a borehole, the first step is notifying the local authorities. Every municipality in South Africa has officers in charge of approving building projects, including drilling boreholes.
This step is essential even when you are well-versed in the legal requirements for drilling a borehole. The requirements vary from one place to another. To avoid problems with the law, notify them so they can provide you with the requirements for drilling a borehole in the location.
2. Borehole Drilling Permit
Regardless of the location you are drilling a borehole, a drilling permit is a requirement. The authorities will inspect the area you intend to drill a borehole before and after drilling the borehole.
To be allowed to dig the borehole, a hydrogeologist will give you a drilling permit after making sure that:
- The ground is strong enough to withstand drilling.
- You own the land, or the official owner has agreed to the property being drilled.
- The location to drill the borehole will not affect other constructions around the area.
A drilling permit will be processed after ensuring that all the above is done. After drilling, you will require approval to start using the borehole. To be approved, you will need the following documents:
A) Borehole registration
To have a borehole registered in South Africa, you have to follow the following guidelines:
- Have a sign notifying passers-by that there is a borehole for safety purposes.
- A borehole should not be exposed in a way that will attract accidents. It should be tightly covered and with solid material, for instance, steel.
B) License to use water
A hydrogeologist will test the borehole’s water to determine how the water can be used. Whether the water is suitable for human consumption will be decided here.
If the water is dangerous for ingestion, a license will be given to allow you to use the borehole water for other domestic uses except drinking.
When the borehole water is too dangerous for drinking and external domestic use, the borehole will be rendered not safe. The license will not be issued, and using the borehole will break the law.
More guidelines for drilling water in South Africa can be found here.
Process Of Drilling A Borehole In South Africa
1. Getting a favorable location on your land
Pick an area on your land far from other construction projects. Choose more than three locations because the hydrogeologist will select from what you have suggested on inspection.
2. Notifying the authorities and applying for a drilling permit
There are different regulations regarding drilling boreholes in South Africa. You should visit the municipal office closest to your area of residence first before beginning to drill a borehole. They will direct you on the requirements of building a borehole in a specific area. After you understand what is required, apply for the drilling permit.
3. Have the location inspected by a hydrogeologist
After the application for a drilling permit is submitted, a hydrogeologist will be sent to your location to inspect the land and if the location can withstand a borehole being drilled.
The hydrogeologist will look at the locations you have picked. If they do not affect the environment, you will approve. If not, the hydrogeologist will suggest a new location.
4. Collecting the drilling permit
After the hydrogeologist inspects the location for drilling a borehole and approves, you will be notified of when to collect the drilling permit. The time of processing varies depending on the location of residence. After receiving the drilling permit, you can move on to start drilling.
5. Hiring a drilling company
After getting a drilling permit, you can hire official drilling contractors to start the process. Drilling companies will charge more the deeper the borehole is drilled. The type of drill you will use to drill a borehole depends on the level of ground difficulty in your location.
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Amount Of Water To Expect From A Borehole
On average, the amount of water expected to be produced from a borehole is 300-3,000 litres per hour. The level of water produced depends on the following factors:
- Seasons: Some places do not receive as much rain as others. Here, low water levels will be experienced except in rainy seasons.
- Borehole maintenance: Boreholes should be cleaned after a certain period. A well-maintained borehole is expected to produce a lot of water.
- Borehole depth: Some places require the borehole to go deep to get water. Generally, the deeper the borehole, the more water will be expected from it.
What determines the cost of drilling a borehole in South Africa?
1. Depth of borehole
As we said earlier, depth is the main determining factor determining the cost of drilling a borehole in South Africa. Hydrogeologists use depth to calculate the amount that they will get paid. The deeper the borehole is, the more it will cost to be drilled.
2. Hardness level of the ground
Even though depth is the main determining factor for the cost of drilling a borehole, it is always affected by how hard the ground is. Drilling in areas with rocks will cost a lot more than drilling a borehole in South African highlands. More electricity is used, and it also takes more time.
3. Borehole location
In urban centres, getting permission to drill a borehole is the only disadvantage of drilling a borehole there. Apart from that, other things are simple. The best thing about drilling a borehole in urban centres is that many people offer this service. This increases competition keeping the price fair at all times.
Getting a company or individual to hire is very difficult. As a result, drilling a borehole in South African rural areas is more expensive.
4. Drilling Company
The cost of drilling a borehole in South Africa differs from one company to another. The cost difference is due to the extra services some companies offer that others do not.
For instance, a company known to keep time when drilling a borehole charges more for its drilling services. The good thing about such companies is that they will do a proper job.
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FAQs
When drilling a borehole, you should follow the necessary regulation as per the regulatory body: Water Department and Sanitation. They require you to inform their offices and get a permit to drill a borehole before you begin. Not following this may land you into problems with the law.
If properly built, a borehole lasts for 15-20 years. The lifespan of a borehole is determined by how well it was set up. Not only this but how firm the ground it was built was. However, you should note that boreholes may be adequately constructed but still not last long. Such boreholes are in places with high activity on the surface, like cities.
There are two types of boreholes in South Africa which are categorized according to the method of constructing the borehole:
1. Drilled boreholes – Also known as mechanically constructed boreholes. These are boreholes made by using a drill to penetrate the ground.
2. Dug boreholes – Also known as manually constructed boreholes. These boreholes are made manually by using a hoe to penetrate the ground.
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