Borehole Drilling in Eastern Cape

Geology and what to expect

Near Gqeberha and Uitenhage, fractured Table Mountain Group sandstone in the Uitenhage Artesian Basin commonly yields 5 to 10 L/s, while the Cretaceous Uitenhage Group mudstones and siltstones around it are poor aquifers, with close to 40% of boreholes in earlier records yielding less than 0.5 L/s. We have not sourced the geology of East London, Mthatha or the rest of the province. A dry or low-yield borehole is a real risk.

These are regional pictures. Depths and yields vary widely within a suburb, only a site survey and the driller's log can tell you what your plot will give, and a borehole can be dry.

Borehole drilling prices in Eastern Cape

One online price guide gives R310 to R570 per metre and R42,000 to R102,000 for a typical project, with typical depths of 30 to 110 m.

The price guide lists Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) and East London.

Prices come from published price guides, not from quotes. The main guide does not say whether its per-metre rates include casing, VAT or mobilisation, and a fully equipped system (pump, tank and installation) costs more than a drilled and cased hole. Ask for written quotes that say what is included.

National pricing guide · Cost calculator

Water quality and SANS 241 priorities

Table Mountain Group water in the Uitenhage basin is low in salts but acidic and corrosive, so test pH. In the Uitenhage Group rocks a 2008 report cites conductivity often above 300 mS/m against the SANS 241 limit of 170 mS/m, with sodium and chloride often above drinking limits. Test electrical conductivity, sodium and chloride.

• Electrical conductivity: 170 mS/m or less (aesthetic)
• Sodium: 200 mg/L or less (aesthetic)
• Chloride: 300 mg/L or less (aesthetic)
• pH: 5 to 9.7 (operational)
• E. coli: not detected in 100 mL (acute health)

Whatever the province, the baseline checks are E. coli, nitrate, pH and total dissolved solids. Only a lab test tells you what your water holds.

Water quality guide · Is borehole water safe to drink?