Borehole Drilling
Blue River Projects offers a turnkey solution for all you domestic and commercial borehole drilling requirements. Considering the escalating water costs, drilling a borehole for a domestic home or commercial property is becoming a more viable and cost effective solution for water supply. Keeping your garden green all year round without relying on municipal water is one of the benefits of installing a borehole on your property.
Blue River Drilling
Benefits Of A Borehole
There are many reasons why residential homeowners choose to invest in borehole drilling on their properties:
- If your municipality is unable to provide you with water then a borehole can give you direct access to water
- Clean, potable borehole water means that you have water independence from municipal sources and you can go off the grid.
- With a borehole you say goodbye to frustrating water cuts, municipal disruptions and water rationing during times of drought.
- With a borehole on your property, you will save money every day by reducing your municipal bill and will increase the value of your property.
- Water from your own borehole is not treated with chemicals so there is no added fluoride or chlorine. In fact, most of the bottled water available from the shops comes from Spring water boreholes.
- A borehole reduces your carbon footprint
- A borehole keeps the garden beautifully green and luscious even in a drought.
Overview
More Benefits To Consider
Considering the escalating water costs, drilling a borehole for a domestic home or commercial property is becoming a more viable and cost effective solution for water supply. Irrigating your garden from a borehole helps to reduce your carbon footprint. Huge amounts of coal are burnt to lift water from dams and rivers and treat this water only to have it end up on your lawn and flowerbeds. The cost of sewage disposal is calculated on the basis of how much water you use. By using borehole water to irrigate your garden, fill your pool and water features and wash your car, you avoid paying the double tariff. Borehole water can provide you with clean, fresh water that has many uses around your home or business. Our Drilling equipment is compact so it can easily access those hard to reach places which conventional drilling machines are unable to do so. We go where the water is. The size of the rig means that minimises damage to property and surrounding areas. It has low noise levels and is fairly unobtrusive. The drilling rig is mounted on a small skid steer loader (bobcat). The machine is capable of drilling 6.5 inch boreholes to a depth of about 120 m. It is also able to drill through hard rock. Our process is environmentally friendly with very low ground impact.
Some Frequently Asked Questions
What Can I Use Borehole Water For?
Borehole water can be used once the borehole installation has been completed and the water has been tested. You will be informed if it is suitable to fill your pool with. It is important to test the water as unsuitable water can stain your pool.
The safest way to use bore water is to irrigate the garden, flush toilets, wash cars and clothes. Before using borehole water for drinking, bathing, filling swimming and paddling pools, food preparation or cooking unless it should be professionally tested and treated if necessary.
Do I Need To Register My Borehole?
The Department of Water and Sanitation maintains a data base of all boreholes drilled in South Africa. When a borehole is drilled it is required that the borehole be registered with the Department of Water and Sanitation. Borehole water that is used for commercial or agricultural use needs to be registered and metered.
Do I Need to Treat my Garden Bore Water?
It is not usually necessary to treat your bore water providing it:
- Has a pH greater than 5;
- Is colourless and odourless; and
- Will only be used to water the garden, wash cars and flush toilets.
What can I do to keep my borehole water safe?
- Site bores away from any obvious potential sources of contamination such as septic tanks and fuel tanks
- Keep rubbish, pesticides, fertilizers, animals and compost away from the bore
- Remove and dispose of waste materials at approved facilities
- Apply garden fertilizers and agricultural chemicals sparingly, following label instructions
- Clean up any chemical spills immediately
- Lock access to bore covers or sheds
- Maintain borehole pumping equipment
- Use a back flow prevention device to separate municipal water from bore water
- If bore water is intended for human consumption use only products for use in contact with drinking water’, approved materials and test it each year.
Can I Connect my Borehole Water to a Drinking Water Supply?
Yes it can be connected BUT note the following:
- A back flow prevention device must be fitted otherwise you could end up pumping your water into the municipal water line and visa-versa
- Any connection to the scheme supply must be done by a licensed plumber; and
- The water must be tested prior to using it as drinking water or for food preparation.
Do I Need Approval To Install a Borehole?
If you are only going to use your borehole for domestic purposes (garden & household use) then no approval is required. If the water is going to be used in a manufacturing process (such as making Coca Cola) and farming then it will require approval.
Is borehole water safe to drink?
Is Borehole Water your only drinking water?
Borehole water should not be used for drinking unless it has been professionally tested at least once a year for chemical and microbiological contamination.
- Find out about the aquifer that supplies your water, the direction of travel, depth and origin;
- Be aware of activities that occur in the catchment area that supplies the aquifer as these will affect your water quality;
- Keep rubbish, pesticides, fertilizers, animal and compost away from the bore head;
- Use only pipes and materials that are either food grade or ‘drinking water approved’; and
- Use a professionally designed and installed water treatment system that is appropriate to the water quality of the borehole water.
Bores intended to provide drinking water must be located at least 30 metres away from any effluent disposal system or probable source of pollution.
Can I link my irrigation system to my borehole?
Yes, you can link your borehole to your existing irrigation system provided the water volume is sufficient to operate the irrigation system. Should this not be the case, various options are available to rectify this. Each client’s particular needs will be assessed and recommendations discussed.
Successful Boreholes
“What a friendly bunch of guys. You answered all our questions, provided expert advice, and put our minds at rest. We were cautious about making such a big investment but now that we have seen the final product, it was well worth it. Thank you for holding our hand throughout the process. It was good to know we were in capable hands. Wishing you all the best!”
Resources
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