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Borehole drilling prices in the Eastern Cape
By BoreholePro. Updated 12 October 2026.
A typical borehole in the Eastern Cape 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 in the Eastern Cape put the water at a median 11 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)
- 11 m
- Typical borehole
- 65 m
- Drilling rate
- R330 /m
- Lined and pumping
- R43,575
How much does borehole drilling cost in the Eastern Cape?
Here is what a 65 m borehole in the Eastern Cape 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 in the Eastern Cape?
The government’s monitoring boreholes in the Eastern Cape put the water at a median of 11 m below ground. The middle half of readings sit between 5.8 m and 19 m, and 76% are within 20 m of the surface. The national median is 12 m. Latest readings run from 2016 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 Gqeberha at about 65 m.
For how depth is decided anywhere in the country, see how deep is a borehole.
Is borehole water in the Eastern Cape safe to drink?
The government has few recent water tests on record in the Eastern Cape, 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.
Drilling in the Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape runs from hard sandstone mountains in the west, around Gqeberha, to the softer Karoo rocks and dolerite of the interior and the former Transkei. In the Karoo rocks, water is often found along dolerite dykes, the dark rock walls that cut through the ground, so where the hole goes matters. A siting survey is worth it on most farms.
Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City residents should check their municipality’s by-laws before drilling. Household use needs no licence from the Department of Water and Sanitation.
Towns in the Eastern Cape
Borehole drilling in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha)
Our quote tool prices an address in central Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) at about 65 m and R43,575, lined and pumping.
Water at a median 18 m below ground (57% of readings within 20 m); drilling at R330 a metre (national average).
Borehole drilling in East London
Our quote tool prices an address in central East London at about 65 m and R43,575, lined and pumping.
Water at a median 14 m below ground (70% of readings within 20 m); drilling at R330 a metre (national average).
Borehole drilling in Mthatha
Our quote tool prices an address in central Mthatha at about 65 m and R43,575, lined and pumping.
Water at a median 9.4 m below ground (80% of readings within 20 m); drilling at R330 a metre (national average).
Questions people ask
How much does borehole drilling cost in the Eastern Cape?
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.
How much does a borehole cost in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha)?
A typical Gqeberha borehole, about 65 m deep with steel casing at the top, PVC casing and a pump, comes to about R43,575 at the national average rate of R330 a metre. Your own address gives a line-by-line price in the quote tool.
How deep is the water in the Eastern Cape?
Government monitoring boreholes in the Eastern Cape put the water at a median of 11 m below ground, with the middle half of readings between 5.8 m and 19 m. We price in the Eastern Cape at about 65 m so the pump sits well below the water in dry months.
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
- National Water Act 36 of 1998, Schedule 1 (permissible use of water)
Get a price for your borehole in the Eastern Cape
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.