Borehole planning checklist for South African properties
A borehole decision starts with the intended use and the property, then moves through geology, drilling, yield, water quality, pumping, storage, and authorisation. Treat the borehole as one part of a complete water system.
Define the water problem before drilling
Separate domestic use, garden irrigation, agriculture, livestock, business, and backup supply. Write down when water is needed, the consequence of an interruption, the available municipal or rainwater supply, and how much storage already exists.
The use affects the design, testing, treatment, pumping, and regulatory questions. A borehole for irrigation is not automatically suitable for domestic use, and a backup source is not necessarily a complete replacement for the main supply.
Map the property and existing services
Record the site boundary, buildings, access for drilling equipment, electrical supply, tanks, pipes, irrigation zones, septic or wastewater systems, neighbouring boreholes, and any environmentally sensitive areas. Confirm who owns the land and who must approve access or construction.
Ask about municipal bylaws, servitudes, existing water infrastructure, and any previous drilling or water tests. A nearby borehole can provide context but cannot guarantee the depth, yield, or quality at a different point on the property.
Ask what the drilling estimate means
A provider should explain the information used to estimate a drilling location and depth, what remains uncertain, how casing and construction will be recorded, and what happens if the result differs from the estimate. Ask whether the quote covers mobilisation, drilling, casing, development, sealing, testing, and site restoration.
Do not treat a predicted yield as a measured yield. Confirm whether a pump test will be performed, what it measures, how long it runs, and how the results affect the equipment and storage decision. Get assumptions and results in writing so a later installer can understand the project.
Plan water quality separately from water quantity
A borehole can produce a useful flow and still require testing or treatment for the intended use. Define whether the water is for drinking, cooking, bathing, laundry, irrigation, livestock, or another purpose before deciding which sample and laboratory process is appropriate.
Ask where the sample is collected, whether the system is flushed, which laboratory is used, which results matter for the intended use, and how treatment will be selected. Clear or odourless water is not proof that the water is suitable. Keep the report dated and linked to the source and property.
Design the complete system
The borehole is only the source. Compare the pump, measured yield, electrical supply, protection, pipework, storage, filtration, pressure, distribution, irrigation zones, controllers, maintenance access, and a backup plan. Ask what happens when the water level drops, power fails, a filter blocks, or demand increases.
Request a simple system drawing, equipment schedule, commissioning measurements, settings, warranties, and maintenance routine. The record should show who is responsible for each component and what a future technician needs to know before changing it.
Check the water-use question
The Department of Water and Sanitation distinguishes the physical borehole from the use of water. Domestic use, irrigation, abstraction, discharge, storage, and municipal requirements can involve different checks. The answer depends on the property, use, volume, and current rules.
Use the current DWS process and consult the relevant municipality or qualified adviser for the specific property. WaterWise SA provides planning questions; it does not determine that a property is authorised or make a legal or engineering approval. Keep the response and supporting records with the project.
Compare quotes without hiding assumptions
Put quotes into columns for drilling, casing, testing, pump, electrical work, storage, filtration, pipework, installation, commissioning, water testing, permits or applications, delivery, maintenance, warranty, and exclusions. Mark each item as included, provisional, or not included.
Ask who owns the equipment, who responds to a failure, what happens if the yield is lower than expected, and whether the supplier will return to commission a changed design. A lower drilling price may not be a lower cost for a working water system.
Keep the project evidence usable
Store the site plan, drilling log, construction record, pump test, water test, system drawing, invoices, equipment serial numbers, settings, approvals, and maintenance notes together. Record the date, property, provider, and version of every important document.
Do not share personal or property-access information with an unidentified buyer. Use a named provider form, share only what is needed, and check current South African coverage and privacy terms.
Plan the next review point
Set a date to review water use, storage, pump performance, water quality, filters, irrigation settings, and authorisation records after the system has operated through a representative period. Keep measured readings rather than relying on a general impression.
The system should have an owner who knows where the records are, who to call when the source or pump changes, and which assumptions must be reassessed before adding demand.