ARTICLES

Home Borehole Drilling for a More Economical and Eco-Friendly Property

Not just in South Africa, but in nations across the world there has been an unprecedented growth in the number of households wishing to install a home borehole and looking for a drilling specialist to undertake the task. As the evidence for global warming continues to grow, the recent drought in the Cape Town area and the extensive emergency measures that this necessitated has been a serious wake-up call and a reminder that much of our country is naturally semi-arid. Tapping into underground sources can offer more than a means to protect against periodic shortages, it can help to relieve some of the mounting pressure on the municipal water reserves, while also contributing to a more sustainable and eco-friendlier lifestyle.

In practice, eight of South Africa’s nine provinces are under threat of drought and, in order to encourage more home borehole drilling in the smallest but most densely-populated of these, Johannesburg water has joined forces with the Borehole Water Association of Southern Africa (BWA) in a promotional campaign. The twin goals of this alliance are to promote the use of groundwater as a means to defend the region against the impact of the ongoing drought conditions and to limit the burgeoning demand for surface water.

Though traditionally thought of as an option primarily intended for use on farms and smallholdings or to serve dwellings in rural areas, the urban residential market has been growing over the past five years, Concerns about future shortages and the environment, however, are certainly not the only driver behind this developing trend. One well-known estate agent recently commented that, in the future, a home in which a successful borehole drilling has been completed could prove to be more attractive to buyers than those with swimming pools. Of course, part of that attraction must, undoubtedly, be the potential for the purchasers of such properties to enjoy a substantial saving on their monthly water bill.

According to the BWA, for a dwelling with anything greater than about 500m² of garden, it is possible that up to 46% of its potable water supply could be effectively wasted just to keep it sufficiently irrigated, At the very least the task could have been accomplished with the use of recycled grey wastewater, while the cost of a hydrological survey and subsequent home borehole drilling, though initially quite high, is likely to result in massive savings over the course of the years ahead. Depending upon usage, even when taking into account the cost of electricity required by the pump each time that water is abstracted, the capital cost could be recovered within two years and the return on investment enjoyed soon after.

Whether you aim to save money, to increase the value of your property, or just to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle, if you should decide to tap into the groundwater beneath your home, you had better be certain that the company drilling your borehole is one you can rely on. Located in Bronkhorstspruit, our team here at the Water Pump Group are experts in the field with more than thirteen years of experience to draw upon. To complement our drilling services, we supply submersible pumps, storage tanks and fittings plus hydrological surveys and testing of performance and quality.

For more information about our borehole drilling services or products, contact us today.