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Borehole drilling in Cape Town
By BoreholePro. Updated 12 October 2026.
A typical borehole around Cape Town is drilled to about 65 m and costs about R43,575 with steel casing at the top, PVC casing and a pump, at R330 a metre, the national average of current price lists. Government monitoring boreholes around Cape Town put the water at a median 5.2 m below ground, against a national median of 12 m. A site visit confirms the spot, the depth and the final price before any drilling.
- Water below ground (median)
- 5.2 m
- Typical borehole
- 65 m
- Drilling rate
- R330 /m
- Lined and pumping
- R43,575
How much does borehole drilling cost in Cape Town?
Here is what a 65 m borehole around Cape Town is made of, at the same rates our quote tool uses (checked 12 October 2026).
| What you pay for | Price |
|---|---|
| Drilling, 65 m at R330 a metre | R21,450 |
| Steel casing at the top | R1,500 |
| PVC casing, 65 m | R9,425 |
| Pump for a 65 m hole | R11,200 |
| Borehole, lined and pumping | R43,575 |
Every 10 m deeper or shallower moves the price by about R4,750, plus a bigger or smaller pump. If solid rock starts deep, more steel casing is needed, at about R350 to R750 a metre. Water to the house usually adds a 5,000-litre tank (R6,940), a 3.5 m stand installed (R21,800) and a pressure pump (R2,950). Full price breakdown: borehole drilling prices.
How deep is the water around Cape Town?
The government’s monitoring boreholes around Cape Town put the water at a median of 5.2 m below ground. The middle half of readings sit between 4.2 m and 9.4 m, and 96% are within 20 m of the surface. The national median is 12 m. Latest readings run from 2017 to 2026.
Shallow water doesn’t mean a shallow hole. The pump has to sit well below the water level in the driest months, so our quote tool prices an address in central Cape Town at about 65 m.
For how depth is decided anywhere in the country, see how deep is a borehole.
Is borehole water around Cape Town safe to drink?
The government has few recent water tests on record around Cape Town, so nobody can tell you from records what is in your water. A lab test once the hole is drilled (R800 to R2,500) is the only way to know. See what a borehole water test checks.
Every borehole is different, even next door. Test before anyone drinks the water: a lab test costs R800 to R2,500, and a filter matched to the result costs R5,000 to R15,000. See borehole water testing.
What the City of Cape Town requires
Cape Town is the one metro with a clear process for boreholes and wellpoints:
- Before: apply to the City at least 14 days before the borehole or wellpoint is sunk.
- After: register it by emailing water@capetown.gov.za with your name, number, address, erf number, City account number and whether it is a borehole or a wellpoint. The City says registration is for monitoring, not billing.
- Sign: the City then sends a free sign. Displaying it is a legal requirement during water restrictions.
Household use needs no licence from the Department of Water and Sanitation.
Borehole or wellpoint?
On the Cape Flats and other sandy areas, water often sits a few metres down in sand, and a wellpoint, a narrow pipe driven into the sand, can be enough to water a garden. It is cheaper but gives less water and can draw salt near the coast. Where the plot sits on rock, on the slopes of Table Mountain, in the southern suburbs or the northern suburbs’ shale, you need a drilled borehole. The site visit tells you which.
Towns near Cape Town
Borehole drilling in Stellenbosch
Our quote tool prices an address in central Stellenbosch at about 65 m and R43,575, lined and pumping.
Water at a median 6.7 m below ground (94% of readings within 20 m); drilling at R330 a metre (national average).
Questions people ask
How much does a borehole cost in Cape Town?
About R43,575 for a 65 m borehole with steel casing at the top, PVC casing and a pump, at R330 a metre. A tank, stand and pressure pump to get water to the house add about R31,690. The site visit sets the final price.
Do I need to register my borehole in Cape Town?
Yes. The City of Cape Town asks you to apply at least 14 days before the borehole or wellpoint is sunk, then register it by emailing water@capetown.gov.za. The City sends a free sign, which must be displayed during water restrictions.
Should I get a wellpoint or a borehole in Cape Town?
A wellpoint suits sandy ground with water a few metres down and is fine for a garden. A borehole goes into rock, gives more water and holds up better in dry summers. It costs more. The site visit checks your ground before you choose.
Related
Where these numbers come from
- Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS): National Groundwater Archive, GRIP borehole records, groundwater-level monitoring and water-quality results supplied to us by DWS GeoRequests, September and October 2026
- Current price lists from borehole drillers in Limpopo, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, checked 12 October 2026
- City of Cape Town: Register a borehole or wellpoint
- National Water Act 36 of 1998, Schedule 1 (permissible use of water)
Get a price for your borehole in Cape Town
Type your address and see the price line by line, with the water records around your plot. A site visit confirms the spot, the depth and the final price before any drilling starts.