Frequently Asked Questions about our Borehole Services

There are several factors which can affect the cost of a borehole installation this includes: underlying hydrogeology, amount of water required, location, the type of pump required. We are able to provide, free no obligation quotations, simply call us or fill out our contact form.

How long a borehole takes to drill depends on the depth of the borehole and the type of matter under the surface the driller expects to find. As an example a 150mm borehole drilled to a depth of 60 metres will take around 1 to 2 days and about the same again to install the pumping infrastructure and construct the borehole headworks.

As long as there is sufficient space on your site or property to construct the borehole, a Geophysical Survey conducted by a qualified hydrologist will determine where the best spot to drill the borehole will be.

During pumping, a borehole pump produces a ‘cone of depression’. This is the influence zone of where water is being abstracted. Where possible any new borehole should be outside this zone to ensure that one borehole does not affect another.

 We recommend that anyone who wishes to site a borehole close to another speaks to the hydrologist to seek his specialist advice to make sure the location of the new borehole does not affect the pumping capacity old borehole.

Where possible boreholes should always be a minimum of 50m away from any potential source of contamination such as septic tanks, this is in accordance with Environment Agency guidelines.

On some sites this just isn’t possible but as long as the septic tank or other source of contamination is modern and well maintained and the borehole has been constructed properly with sufficient casing then it should be ok.

This depends on the scale of the submersible pump installed but typically a small pump for normal use, e.g. less than 20m3/day abstraction will be very cheap to run.

Usually borehole water is perfectly safe to drink. However we always recommend carrying out a water testing procedure to fully understand the contents of the water.

In cases where the water is inconsistent with the proposed use be it for drinking, or commercial uses we are able to provide water analysis and water treatment services.

We get many enquiries from customers asking “how do i make borehole water safe to drink?”, “what is the easiest way to purify borehole water?” or “how do I remove iron from the borehole in my garden?. This can’t be done with guess work.

The first step is to get your water tested, we work closely with a several leading testing laboratories that can check your water for substances such as iron, manganese, calcium and other minerals and contaminants like bacteria etc.
If your water has failed quality tests for your given use then you may need to install water treatment.
Filtering borehole water should only be carried out by a company experienced in implementing suitable filtration and UV water treatment systems to correct the water.
Once the right method of borehole filtration has been identified it should be fitted to the required client specification or human potable water standards.

In some cases water may be extracted from the ground under its own pressure. This is known as an artesian well or spring.
However in many cases a submersible pump is required to bring water to the surface. Which pump is required, depends on various factors, such as the quantities of water required, the desired pressure and its intended use.
To get the most from your borehole, a pumping system should be designed to suit the client’s exact requirements.

A well-constructed borehole can last many generations. We regularly encounter boreholes from the 1950’s, 60′s and 70′s that are still in full working order and were drilled by us or people known to us.
Modern technology has also meant that newly constructed boreholes can last even longer due to advancements in borehole lining material and drilling techniques to prevent the borehole from collapsing.

In many cases yes, the old borehole / water well will need to be assessed and if it is still producing water than it can be brought back into commission. It may require maintenance works and a cleaning process to re-develop the borehole yield.
We have personally fitted and worked on boreholes dating back decades that are still fully operational and are aware of boreholes that were drilled pre World War II that are still functioning to this very day.

The width of a borehole depends on the volumes of water required. For example if you are wanting to draw large volumes of water for heavy commercial use then a wider borehole would be drilled to allow for a larger borehole pump.

By tapping into borehole water you essentially remove your dependency on mains water. Borehole water is much cheaper than mains water (with bills continually rising) and although there is the up-front cost of drilling the borehole and mobilising a borehole drilling team in many cases they can be paid back within a few years after which your water costs will become minimal for many many years to come.

Most properties can benefit from groundwater but as this is Mother Nature there is no guarantee.
However by having a borehole survey carried out on your property will provide a very reliable indication of location and depth and whether or not water will be encountered.
We recommend you speak to us, we can then get in touch with reputable hydrologists with good track records to conduct your borehole survey.

Boreholes are extremely reliable; in fact many of our commercial and agricultural jobs are carried out due to the reliability boreholes are known to provide.
One of the mains issue farmers and industries have is variable water pressure from mains water supplies. A borehole solves these problems. Likewise they are sustainable during drought periods meaning that even when mains water supplies are being throttled back borehole water supplies can keep on going.