Borehole Surveys: Quality Water from Underground

South Africa once had some of the cheapest water and electricity in the world and, boy, isn’t that a distant memory nowadays! Quite apart from the fact that millions of people live where there are no municipal services, borehole water has become the staple of many, because of their distaste for fluoride and other tap water additives, all puns intended. Although it costs to sink and equip a borehole, there are huge savings forever after, something that has grown in appeal for a more diverse segment of society than merely farmers, plot dwellers, and other rural citizens.

Today, it’s commonplace to find boreholes active in suburban gardens, alongside storage tanks and a pressurised pump system that distributes the water. Not only is the water typically within reasonable reach in South Africa (at a modest depth), but it’s also clean and clear – far more natural than purposefully purified water. Though equipping a borehole with a pressure tank and booster pump isn’t highly technical, there are a few aspects that need to be gauged accurately for hassle-free enjoyment of borehole water.

Start with a Borehole Survey

As elementary as a borehole is – it’s a drilled hole in the ground at the bottom of which rests underground water – boreholes have different yields or capacities. Some areas around Gauteng, for example, are renowned for their big water output, while others are far more modest in comparison. Hence the need for any borehole to be measured for what it can produce by way of litres per hour. If a borehole survey indicates that your borehole can only deliver, say, 3000 litres an hour, and you equip it with a pump trying to push out 8000 litres an hour, something is going to burn out soon enough.

It’s important to test and correctly equip any borehole with the right capacity submersible pump (the pump that goes down the hole, into the water), as well as the correct booster pump setup (the pump, pressure tank and storage tanks above ground that holds and distributes the water in a manner comparable to municipal water pressure). Nowadays, most boreholes employ a submersible pump, as it’s down the hole, unseen, more efficient, and not so easily stolen. Therefore, it’s imperative that a borehole survey determines exactly what your unique water supply can be and build a pumping station around this information.

Survey Your Underground Water Possibilities

If you’ve yet to investigate your home’s potential to deliver borehole water, ever-rising water costs are a great incentive! The money spent on a borehole survey, drilling, and equipping is typically recouped in under five years. That’s a no-brainer as long as you have the upfront costs, as maintenance is negligible over time and even the submersible pump can be expected to give anything from 10 to 20 years of faithful service, and sometimes far longer.

When looking for experienced professionals who will tell it like it is, give it to you straight, and get any water installation right first time around, look no further than Water Pump Group. We perform all manner of borehole surveys, equipping and maintenance, to keep you in water that’s clean and cool, free to use wherever you might need it.