Borehole services in South Africa

A working borehole is several jobs, often done by different specialists. This page explains each one, in the order they usually happen, and links to the detail and the prices.

Last reviewed 2 October 2026.

Drilling and siting

A hydrogeologist or driller picks the spot, a rig drills the hole, and the water strike is logged. Siting with a geophysical survey costs extra but lowers the risk of a dry hole.

Casing and lining

Steel or uPVC casing keeps the hole from collapsing and keeps surface water out. It is priced on the metres actually cased.

Pumps and installation

The pump, pipework, control box and electrical or solar supply that move water from the hole to your tank. Solar is covered separately.

Yield testing

A timed pumping test that shows how much water the borehole can safely give. It decides the pump size and how you can use the water.

Water testing

A laboratory test against the SANS 241 drinking water standard, covering chemistry and bacteria. Do this before anyone drinks the water.

Rehabilitation and repair

Cleaning, redevelopment, pump replacement and camera inspection for a borehole that has slowed, silted up or stopped.

Check the rules for your property and area (registration and authorisation).
Site the borehole, ideally with a survey, and agree the price per metre in writing.
Drill and case the hole. Keep the driller's log of depth, rock and water strikes.
Run a yield test and take a water sample for a laboratory.
Size and install the pump, tank and electrical or solar supply from the yield result.
Treat the water only for what the laboratory found, then service the pump on a schedule.

Some companies do every step, others only drill or only fit pumps. Ask for each step to be priced separately so you can compare like with like. See drilling prices and the cost calculator.

Need a company for one of these jobs?

Browse listed drilling companies or send one quote request and we will pass it to companies listed for your area.

Request a free quote