Home / Limpopo
Borehole drilling prices in Limpopo
By BoreholePro. Updated 12 October 2026.
A typical borehole in Limpopo is drilled to about 65 m and costs about R43,250 with steel casing at the top, PVC casing and a pump, at R325 a metre on current price lists near Polokwane. Government monitoring boreholes in Limpopo put the water at a median 14 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)
- 14 m
- Typical borehole
- 65 m
- Drilling rate
- R325 /m
- Lined and pumping
- R43,250
How much does borehole drilling cost in Limpopo?
Here is what a 65 m borehole in Limpopo is made of, at the same rates our quote tool uses (checked 12 October 2026).
| What you pay for | Price |
|---|---|
| Drilling, 65 m at R325 a metre | R21,125 |
| 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 | R43,250 |
Every 10 m deeper or shallower moves the price by about R4,700, 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 Limpopo?
The government’s monitoring boreholes in Limpopo put the water at a median of 14 m below ground. The middle half of readings sit between 6.8 m and 26 m, and 65% are within 20 m of the surface. The national median is 12 m. Latest readings run from 2016 to 2026.
Our quote tool prices an address in Polokwane at about 65 m, the typical depth of the drilled holes nearest it. The pump hangs well below the water so it stays covered in a dry year.
What real holes in Limpopo were drilled to
Government drilling records in Limpopo show the middle half of holes were drilled to between 47 m and 90 m, with a typical depth of 63 m. About 1 in 9 came up dry. Dry holes are under-recorded, so the real share can be higher, which is why a siting survey (R3,000 to R15,000) is worth it.
For how depth is decided anywhere in the country, see how deep is a borehole.
Is borehole water in Limpopo safe to drink?
Of the boreholes the government has tested in Limpopo, 40% were over the nitrate limit (nitrate is a risk for babies and usually comes from farming and pit toilets). 19% were over the salt limit and 11% over the fluoride limit. Tests on record run from 1968 to 2025.
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.
Why Limpopo prices are easier to pin down
Limpopo has the best borehole records in the country. The government’s GRIP project logged tens of thousands of boreholes here with their depth, how much water they gave and whether they came up dry, so a Limpopo quote starts from what was actually drilled near you, not a guess. Drilling rates are also the lowest we see on current price lists.
Nitrate is the thing to test for
Limpopo’s most common water problem is nitrate, which comes from farming and pit toilets and is a risk for babies. It shows up in a large share of government tests across the province, so test before anyone drinks the water and budget for a filter if the test fails. See filters for borehole water.
Towns in Limpopo
Borehole drilling in Tzaneen
Our quote tool prices an address in central Tzaneen at about 115 m and R68,550, lined and pumping. That is deeper than the area as a whole, because the drilled holes nearest the town centre were deep.
Water at a median 15 m below ground (73% of readings within 20 m); the middle half of drilled holes within 30 km were 46 to 80 m deep; about 1 in 5 came up dry; drilling at R325 a metre on local price lists.
Borehole drilling in Mokopane
Our quote tool prices an address in central Mokopane at about 55 m and R37,150, lined and pumping.
Water at a median 15 m below ground (58% of readings within 20 m); the middle half of drilled holes within 30 km were 45 to 89 m deep; about 1 in 11 came up dry; drilling at R325 a metre on local price lists.
Borehole drilling in Thohoyandou
Our quote tool prices an address in central Thohoyandou at about 60 m and R38,000, lined and pumping.
Water at a median 10 m below ground (76% of readings within 20 m); the middle half of drilled holes within 30 km were 46 to 81 m deep; about 1 in 12 came up dry; drilling at R300 a metre on local price lists.
City pages in Limpopo
Questions people ask
How much does borehole drilling cost in Limpopo?
About R43,250 for a 65 m borehole with steel casing at the top, PVC casing and a pump, at R325 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.
What are the chances of a dry borehole in Limpopo?
In government drilling records in Limpopo, about 1 in 9 holes came up dry. Dry holes are under-recorded, so the real share can be higher. A siting survey (R3,000 to R15,000) picks the spot most likely to give water, and a dry hole is charged for the drilling but not the pump or full casing.
Do I need to register a borehole in Limpopo?
Not for household use. Schedule 1 of the National Water Act covers reasonable household use, a non-commercial garden and watering animals that graze the land. Irrigation for sale, a business or a lodge may need to register with the Department of Water and Sanitation. See borehole registration.
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 Limpopo
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.