Borehole Drilling Prices in South Africa 2026

How much does it cost to drill a borehole? Market indications for cost per metre, totals by province and city, the extras that add up, and what a quote should list.

Last reviewed 2 October 2026. Ranges come from published South African price guides and supplier listings. They are market indications, not a price list or a quote.

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Quick Summary: Borehole Drilling Costs 2026

Drilled, cased and surveyed

R30,000 - R70,000

About 40-60m, before pump, tank and tests. Gauteng holes are often 80-120m deep, so budget more there

Cost Per Metre

R300 - R750

R600 - R1,500 in hard rock

Payback Period

3 - 12+ Years

Only if it replaces most of a municipal bill; fixed charges stay, so it can be far longer. See the worked payback

Borehole Drilling Prices by Type

Borehole Type	Price Range	What It Covers
Residential: drilled, cased and surveyed (about 40-60m)	R30,000 - R70,000	Drilling, casing and a site survey. Pump, tank and testing are extra.
Residential: fully equipped system	R60,000 - R120,000	Adds the pump system, tank, plumbing and testing. One Gauteng guide puts a complete residential borehole at R60,000 - R100,000.
Farm or smallholding (60-120m)	R50,000 - R150,000	Depth and the pump needed for flow drive most of the spread.
Deep borehole (120m and deeper)	R60,000 - R150,000+	Guides disagree: one prices a 120m borehole at R60,000 - R90,000, another says deep or complex sites can exceed R150,000.
Commercial and industrial	Ask for a quote	One guide puts industrial installations at R200,000 - R500,000. Scope varies too widely for a published range.

The spread comes from rock hardness, depth, region and whether casing is in the rate. Use thecost calculatorfor a range for your depth, orrequest quotes.

Additional Costs Beyond Drilling

Drilling is only part of the total borehole cost. These are the common extras, as published in 2026 price guides:

Geophysical survey (site assessment)

R3,500 - R10,000

Casing, installed (per cased metre)

R400 - R700

Yield testing (basic to constant-rate)

R1,500 - R7,500

Water testing (SANS 241 lab analysis)

R1,450 - R3,000

Pump system, supplied and installed

R12,000 - R45,000

Pump installation, labour only

R2,000 - R5,000

Storage tank (2,500 to 10,000 litres)

R5,000 - R20,000

Water filtration or treatment

R5,000 - R20,000

Equipment prices in detail:borehole pump prices,solar borehole pump kit pricesandborehole casing.

Borehole Drilling Prices by Province

One published city table is the only source we found with figures for most provinces, so each row uses a reference city. Prices vary by suburb, and depths and water levels vary widely within a suburb and with season and pumping. Only a site survey and test drilling can tell you what your plot will give.

Province	Reference City	Per Metre	Typical Depth	Project Total
Gauteng	Johannesburg, Pretoria	R350 - R700	40-130m	R55,000 - R140,000
Western Cape	Cape Town	R380 - R750	30-120m	R50,000 - R140,000
KwaZulu-Natal	Durban	R320 - R600	30-90m	R45,000 - R110,000
Limpopo	Polokwane	R290 - R530	40-120m	R40,000 - R95,000
Mpumalanga	Nelspruit	R300 - R540	40-110m	R41,000 - R98,000
Free State	Bloemfontein	R290 - R520	40-110m	R40,000 - R95,000
Eastern Cape	Port Elizabeth, East London	R310 - R570	30-110m	R42,000 - R102,000
Northern Cape	Kimberley	R320 - R580	50-130m	R44,000 - R105,000
North West	No city figure found	Ask for a quote	Not published	Ask for a quote

Project totals are as published and the source does not say exactly what each includes. Seeprices by province and cityfor a Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban comparison.

What a Borehole Drilling Quote Should List

Quotes that look cheap often leave items out. Ask each company to price the same scope and to itemise it, so you can compare like with like.

The rate per metre, the depth it assumes, and what happens to the price if drilling goes deeper or stops early.
Whether the rate covers the drilled hole only. Casing is often charged separately.
Casing: material, diameter, number of metres and the rate per metre.
Mobilisation or site establishment, fuel surcharges and any minimum charge, including if water is found early or the hole is dry.
The geophysical survey: who does it and what it costs.
The yield test: which test (step or constant-rate), how long it runs, and what report you receive.
The water test: SANS 241 chemistry and microbiology, and which laboratory.
The pump system: pump kW and model, cable, riser pipe, control box, labour and electrical connection, each priced separately.
The storage tank, pressure system, pipework and any filtration or treatment.
What you get at the end: a completion report with depth, geology log and yield data.
VAT, payment terms and how long the quote is valid.
Who applies for any municipal consent or registration that your area requires.

What Affects Borehole Drilling Costs?

Depth Required

High Impact

The biggest cost driver. Drilling is charged per metre: R300 - R750 in standard ground and R600 - R1,500 in hard rock.

Geology / Rock Type

High Impact

Hard rock such as granite and quartzite drills more slowly and costs more per metre than soft or sedimentary ground.

Casing Requirements

Medium Impact

Casing is often charged separately from the drilling rate: R400 - R700 per metre on the metres actually cased.

Location / Access

Medium Impact

Remote properties or difficult access can add transport and site-setup charges. Ask for mobilisation and any minimum charge in writing.

Dry or Low-Yield Holes

Medium Impact

A survey improves the odds of finding water but cannot promise it. Ask how a dry or low-yield hole is charged before work starts.

Pump Type

Medium Impact

A supplied and installed pump system is R12,000 - R30,000 for holes up to about 60m and R15,000 - R45,000 for deep or high-flow holes.

Permits and Local Rules

Low Impact

Households using borehole water for reasonable domestic purposes are exempt from national registration, but municipal by-laws are separate and some areas need an assessment first.

More detail on each driver:what affects borehole drilling cost.

Frequently Asked Questions About Borehole Costs

How much does borehole drilling cost in South Africa?

Published 2026 guides put a drilled, cased and surveyed residential borehole of about 40-60m at R30,000 - R70,000, and a fully equipped residential system at R60,000 - R120,000. The final price depends on depth, rock hardness, region, casing and the pump system. These are market indications, not quotes.

What is the cost per metre for borehole drilling?

Published guides put drilling at R300 - R750 per metre in standard ground and R600 - R1,500 per metre in hard rock such as granite and quartzite. Check whether the rate includes casing, mobilisation and VAT: casing is often charged separately at R400 - R700 per metre.

How deep does a borehole need to be?

Depths vary widely, from tens of metres to over 100m. One 2026 guide says most Gauteng residential boreholes are 80 to 120m deep, while Cape Town guides give 30 to 120m. A survey and records from nearby boreholes help predict depth, but only drilling confirms it.

Is a borehole worth it in South Africa?

It depends on how much municipal water the borehole replaces. One published guide says most households that replace most of their municipal water recoup the cost in 3 to 7 years. For example, a R60,000 equipped system that cuts your water bill by R1,000 a month takes 60 months (5 years) to repay, and at R500 a month it takes 120 months (10 years). Garden-only use sits at the longer end, and running costs such as electricity, a yearly water test, servicing and eventual pump replacement reduce the saving.

Do I need a permit to drill a borehole?

According to the Department of Water and Sanitation, reported in July 2026, households using borehole water for reasonable domestic purposes are exempt from registration under Schedule 1 of the National Water Act. Commercial, agricultural, industrial and other high-volume users must still register. Municipal by-laws are separate: one guide says the City of Johannesburg requires written consent before drilling, and that drilling is prohibited without a professional assessment in more than 20 Tshwane suburbs. Check with your municipality before a rig is booked.

What is included in a borehole drilling quote?

It varies between companies. Casing, yield testing, water testing, the pump system and filtration are often quoted separately, and some companies charge a minimum fee even if water is found early. Ask for an itemised quote that lists each item, using the checklist on this page.

Get Quotes for Your Property

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Sources

Borehole Hub: borehole prices 2026 (survey, casing, pump system, dated installer quotes)
Enviroleg: borehole drilling prices in South Africa (installation totals, tanks, filtration, industrial)
Borehole Guide: drilling cost per metre (per-metre rates, hidden costs)
Ourpower: borehole drilling cost tool (per-metre rates and project totals by city)
Waterpoint SA: borehole drilling in Gauteng (hard-rock rates, casing, tests, typical Gauteng depths)
Waterpoint SA: Cape Town borehole costs 2026 (water test and yield test prices)
Kandua: borehole drilling cost in South Africa (cost by depth, deep boreholes)
H2O Guru: SANS 241 water test packages (water test prices)
Borehole Hub: borehole pump prices (retail pump prices and a dated installation quote)
Borehole Hub: reasons a borehole is an investment (a 3 to 7 year payback estimate, which assumes the bill falls by most of its value)
Rekord: borehole registration not required for domestic use (Department of Water and Sanitation statement, July 2026)