Water Borehole Drilling Process In 4 Steps

We’ve all seen the posters plastered on walls and fences the suburbs
over: “borehole water”.

Those whose fences, walls and gates boast the poster are the only
ones whose lawns are still green, whose cars are pristine, whose water
bills are still lean… All thanks to a water borehole!

So, especially in these trying times, we all know what a borehole is and
where the water comes from, or do we?

With the dams drying  up, the municipal water costs going  up, and the
people getting fed  up; it is more important than ever to understand
and consider alternative water sources.

You Want A Water Borehole; Now What?

For some the decision to invest in a domestic water borehole is a
simple one; others are daunted by the unfamiliar process.
In an eff ort to help you overcome the element of unfamiliarity, and
thereby help our country save water by making it easier for you to
come to a decision to implement your own domestic water borehole
this summer, RPM Drilling is proud to help you better understand
water borehole drilling.
So what are the steps in drilling a borehole? We’ll explain everything
below.
Step 1 – Hydro-geologists site the borehole
The very fi rst thing that needs to be determined is where the water is,
and how we’re going to get to it.
That’s why we employ hydro-geologists who make use of a variety of
borehole drilling methods to assess the geophysical properties of the
underlying area.
These are the guys that help us ensure we’re not drilling into natural
hazards or man-made infrastructure (pipelines, cables, phone lines,
etc).

Step 2 – Drilling and Construction

Once the hydro-geologists have helped us prep a path for borehole
drilling, we follow through and construct the borehole.
It’s not as easy as Moses and the rock, unfortunately, and, contrary to
popular belief, an endless supply of water won’t just surge to the
surface following the drilling of the borehole; there are still steps to
follow and processes to be completed.
Once the borehole has been drilled the necessary unstable lengths of
the borehole are steel cased in an eff ort to reinforce the ‘tube’.

Step 3 – Determining the yield of the borehole

In order to most accurately gauge the yield of a domestic water
borehole an aquifer test is performed.
This involves installing a test pump and pumping borehole water for a
fi xed set of variables; a given time at a given rate, and then assessing
the test’s impact on the water level in the borehole.
Maximum yield is achieved by increasing the abstraction rate, ensuring
optimum drawdown of water in the borehole.
Y i e l d – the deliverable well yield depends on the aquifer geometry
and hydraulic properties, combined with the maximum permissible
drawdown in that particular situation. It should be noted that this
defi nition takes no account of renewable groundwater resources. Yield
is a term which is very often misused. Drilling contractors often refer
to yield when they actually mean (a) the fl ow measured during air-
fl ush drilling or (b) the rate at which the water was pumped during the
test pumping.

Step 4 – Pumping and piping the borehole

The kind of pumping system and piping installed in your new domestic
water borehole will largely depend on the intended use of the
borehole water.

For more information, or to make an appointment to start the process,

feel free to contact us via the particulars provided on our Contact
page.
How The Cost Of Drilling A Borehole Is Calculated
Water borehole drilling cost depends on many diff erent factors,
processes and components used to drill a borehole.
There are no two boreholes that will be the same, so it is best to work
on an average cost of a borehole.
The more boreholes you drill, the better estimates you can give a
client.

Here are the Most Important Factors that Impact

Borehole Drilling Cost:
  Type of ground
 Depth of the borehole
 The purpose for the borehole
 The machinery, manpower and materials

The type of ground and geology of the site where you want to drill a
borehole are the biggest factor that will impact the borehole price.
It is very important to have a experienced borehole professional doing
the geology research of the site correctly, whether it’s rock, sand or
clay you are dealing with.
Another important factor will be the depth of the borehole, because
groundwater will fl ow diff erently at diff erent locations.
This again can be found by the research done by the geology
prospector, so experience is key in order to get the most accurate
estimates as possible.
What is the purpose of drilling a borehole?
There are not a one size-fi ts-all borehole solution.
This will also aff ect the water quality needed and the processes used
to sink a borehole.
All these factors will then depend on which materials, machinery and
what manpower is needed to get the borehole drilled.
Materials will include the physical construction for the borehole,
machinery is the actual drill and the manpower is how many people
you need to drill a specifi c borehole.
Every borehole is unique, because the combination of factors that
impact the components and processes used will almost always be
diff erent.
This is why borehole drilling cost is not just a number on a paper, but
a carefully calculated formula aff ected by the conditions.
What Processes and Borehole Drilling Methods
Should be Used:
The process of drilling a borehole will depend on the factors above
and the geology experience of the drilling professionals.
It can be very expensive if the operator is not very experienced and
could lead to mistakes, wasteful materials and it can be time
consuming to do geology research on the site.
It’s also important to factor in the purpose of the borehole. Every type
of borehole will have diff erent methods, materials and manpower
needed.
For example, drilling diff erent type of boreholes for example, a
bottling plant, commercial site, residential site or a borehole for
animals.
Another thing that’s important to keep in mind when calculating the
price of a borehole is how much water is needed and for how long it is
intended to use the borehole.
Some boreholes can be used for only a few years, where others can
last for decades to come.
The Basic Components for Calculating Borehole
Installation Cost:
1. Siting the borehole location – It’s basically locating the best spot
to drill a borehole that will have the best performance and water
quality at the lowest cost possible.

2. Mobilisation and Demobilisation – Machinery, equipment and

materials need to get to the site to be set up. This is the cost for
moving the borehole drilling machinery and equipment to and from
the site.

3. Borehole drilling cost per meter – Like explained above, every

borehole will have a diff erent depth depending on all the factors. The
actual borehole drilling costs are usually calculated at a per meter
cost. So the depth and type of ground will play the biggest role in
getting a cost per meter.
4. Construction Material Costs – After the borehole has been drilled,
the casing and completion tasks needs to be implemented. This cost
can include materials like a solid casing, screen, gravel pack, sanitary
seal and a well head.
5. Performance and Quality testing – The next step is well
development, pump test and borehole water quality. That will
determine the performance of the borehole (how much water is
available) and the quality of the water.
6. Platform and Pump – Once everything has been fi nished, the
borehole needs a platform and pump installed for it to be used. It
depends on what the use is for the borehole to decide whether it will
be hand pump or electrical pump.
This is the basic factors, processes and components that need to be
included when calculating the costs of drilling borehole.
Now you have an idea what exactly it takes to fi gure out the cost of a
borehole.

Water Borehole Rehabilitation: What You Need to

Know
There are a number of potential causes for reduced yield from a
domestic or commercial water borehole. These may include, but are
not limited to:
  Mechanical Blockage: mechanical blockage occurs when small
soil particles or by-products from the well-wall build up and cause
blockages or reduced fl ow.
 Chemical Encrustation: essentially the chemical version of a
mechanical blockage, chemical encrustation occurs when
chemical deposits build up on the well screen or gravel pack and
restrict the fl ow of water.
 Bacteriological Plugging: Bacteria and other micro-organisms
can also clog a borehole.

How Borehole Rehabilitation Is Being Done?

While the steps that need to be taken in order to rehabilitate a
borehole will vary depending on the nature of the cause for the
blockage or reduced fl ow, the following steps constitute a brief
overview of the traditional steps borehole rehabilitation could or
would necessitate:
1 – A survey of the borehole will be undertaken fi rst – the surveyor
may ask you questions such as:

 What was the initial depth of the borehole?

 What the original yield was like compared to the current, reduced
yield?
 What is the diameter of the borehole?
The surveyor may also test the pH level of the water and perform
other such assessments as indicated in order to diagnose the cause of
reduced fl ow.  
2 – The pumping mechanism and/or other removable parts will be
cleaned with a chlorine solution.
3 – The borehole will be drained of all water and will be thoroughly
cleaned of all sediment and debris.
4 – Any damage to the inside of the borehole will be repaired. If the
damage is too extensive, the borehole may be re-lined as opposed to
simply repaired/patched.  
5 – The well itself will now be cleaned with chlorinated water.
6 – Should the borehole/well require chemical cleaning it will take
place at this juncture. If the well needs to be chemically cleaned the
process could take anywhere from 1 to 3 days and will mean the well
needs to be dewatered thereafter in order to remove the chemicals
and chemical residue.
7 – The well/borehole will be disinfected. Chlorination is the most
common method of disinfection undertaken.
8 – Post chlorination the well/borehole will need to be dewatered. The
water will be tested until chlorine levels are back below 0.5mg per
litre.
9 – The well/borehole will be resealed.
Deciding to install a domestic water borehole is a big decision, with
some obvious fi nancial implications; and this can put a lot of people
off .
Rest assured, your domestic (or even commercial) water borehole will
pay for itself in no time, especially considering the ever-increasing
municipal water tariff s.
If you want a green lawn, a clean car, or a lean municipal water bill;
perhaps it is time to start seriously considering a domestic water
borehole?
If the above has left you with questions, feel free to give us a shout, or
call us up and take the fi rst steps to installing your very own domestic
water borehole today!