Borehole drilling in Johannesburg
By BoreholePro. Updated 12 October 2026.
A typical borehole around Johannesburg is drilled to about 80 m and costs about R55,000 with steel casing at the top, PVC casing and a pump, at R380 a metre on current price lists near Johannesburg. Government monitoring boreholes around Johannesburg put the water at a median 27 m below ground, deeper than the national median of 12 m. A site visit confirms the spot, the depth and the final price before any drilling.
- Water below ground (median)
- 27 m
- Typical borehole
- 80 m
- Drilling rate
- R380 /m
- Lined and pumping
- R55,000
How much does borehole drilling cost in Johannesburg?
Here is what a 80 m borehole around Johannesburg is made of, at the same rates our quote tool uses (checked 12 October 2026).
| What you pay for | Price |
|---|---|
| Drilling, 80 m at R380 a metre | R30,400 |
| Steel casing at the top | R1,500 |
| PVC casing, 80 m | R11,600 |
| Pump for a 80 m hole | R11,500 |
| Borehole, lined and pumping | R55,000 |
Every 10 m deeper or shallower moves the price by about R5,250, 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 Johannesburg?
The government’s monitoring boreholes around Johannesburg put the water at a median of 27 m below ground. The middle half of readings sit between 15 m and 50 m, and 40% are within 20 m of the surface. The national median is 12 m. Latest readings run from 2016 to 2026.
The monitoring boreholes nearest central Johannesburg put the water at about 37 m, so our quote tool prices an address there at about 80 m. Deeper water means a deeper hole and a stronger pump.
For how depth is decided anywhere in the country, see how deep is a borehole.
Is borehole water around Johannesburg safe to drink?
Of the boreholes the government has tested around Johannesburg, about 3 in 4 were over the iron limit (iron stains basins, laundry and paving brown). About half were over the manganese limit and about 1 in 3 over the salt limit. These are 2025 results.
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.
Do you need the City’s permission to drill in Johannesburg?
Yes. As reported by Daily Maverick in 2025, the City of Johannesburg asks for written consent under section 14(1) of its Land Use Scheme before a borehole is drilled. The application goes to the City’s land use department with a form, the title deed, zoning details, a short motivation and a drawing showing where the borehole will go. The fee reported in 2025 was R1,185, and the City aims to decide within 28 days.
- Johannesburg Water wants a backflow preventer between the borehole system and the municipal supply.
- A geologist checks applications for dolomite risk, mostly in the south of the city.
- Drilling without consent can lead to fines.
We can prepare the drawing for your application from the site visit. Household use still needs no licence from the Department of Water and Sanitation.
Granite in the north, dolomite in the south
Most of northern Johannesburg, from Randburg and Sandton to Fourways and Midrand, sits on granite. Water there is in cracks in the rock, so two holes on the same street can give very different results, and a siting survey earns its fee. The south and south-west run onto dolomite, where the City checks for sinkhole risk.
Towns near Johannesburg
Borehole drilling in Midrand
Our quote tool prices an address in central Midrand at about 70 m and R49,450, lined and pumping.
Water at a median 23 m below ground (48% of readings within 20 m); drilling at R380 a metre on local price lists.
Questions people ask
How much does a borehole cost in Johannesburg?
About R55,000 for a 80 m borehole with steel casing at the top, PVC casing and a pump, at R380 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 permission to drill a borehole in Johannesburg?
Yes. The City of Johannesburg asks for written consent under its Land Use Scheme before drilling (fee reported as R1,185 in 2025), and Johannesburg Water wants a backflow preventer between the borehole and the municipal supply.
How deep is the water table in Johannesburg?
Government monitoring boreholes around Johannesburg put the water at a median of 27 m below ground, with the middle half of readings between 15 m and 50 m. We price around Johannesburg at about 80 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
- Daily Maverick: Thinking of drilling a borehole in Joburg? (28 February 2025, updated 17 June 2025)
- National Water Act 36 of 1998, Schedule 1 (permissible use of water)
Get a price for your borehole in Johannesburg
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.