Home / North West
Borehole drilling in North West
By BoreholePro. Updated 12 October 2026.
A typical borehole in North West is drilled to about 65 m and costs about R42,925 with steel casing at the top, PVC casing and a pump, at R320 a metre on current price lists near Rustenburg. Government monitoring boreholes in North West put the water at a median 19 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)
- 19 m
- Typical borehole
- 65 m
- Drilling rate
- R320 /m
- Lined and pumping
- R42,925
How much does borehole drilling cost in North West?
Here is what a 65 m borehole in North West is made of, at the same rates our quote tool uses (checked 12 October 2026).
| What you pay for | Price |
|---|---|
| Drilling, 65 m at R320 a metre | R20,800 |
| 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 | R42,925 |
Every 10 m deeper or shallower moves the price by about R4,650, 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 North West?
The government’s monitoring boreholes in North West put the water at a median of 19 m below ground. The middle half of readings sit between 7.5 m and 39 m, and 53% 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 Rustenburg at about 65 m.
For how depth is decided anywhere in the country, see how deep is a borehole.
Is borehole water in North West safe to drink?
Of the boreholes the government has tested in North West, about 1 in 10 were over the nitrate limit (nitrate is a risk for babies and usually comes from farming and pit toilets). A few were over the fluoride limit and a few 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.
Drilling in North West
Around Rustenburg and Hartbeespoort the water sits deeper than in most of the country, so holes run deeper and the pump must be sized for it. Further west, around Mahikeng and Lichtenburg, dolomite holds large amounts of groundwater that whole towns depend on. Where the ground is dolomite, the site visit checks it before drilling.
Fluoride turns up in parts of the province, so test the water before anyone drinks it.
Towns in North West
Borehole drilling in Rustenburg
Our quote tool prices an address in central Rustenburg at about 65 m and R42,925, lined and pumping.
Water at a median 56 m below ground (29% of readings within 20 m); drilling at R320 a metre on local price lists.
Borehole drilling in Hartbeespoort
Our quote tool prices an address in central Hartbeespoort at about 60 m and R42,800, lined and pumping.
Water at a median 32 m below ground (35% of readings within 20 m); drilling at R380 a metre on local price lists.
Borehole drilling in Mahikeng
Our quote tool prices an address in central Mahikeng at about 65 m and R43,575, lined and pumping.
Water at a median 9.2 m below ground (71% of readings within 20 m); drilling at R330 a metre (national average).
Borehole drilling in Klerksdorp
Our quote tool prices an address in central Klerksdorp at about 65 m and R43,575, lined and pumping.
Water at a median 6.4 m below ground (100% of readings within 20 m); drilling at R330 a metre (national average).
Questions people ask
How much does borehole drilling cost in North West?
About R42,925 for a 65 m borehole with steel casing at the top, PVC casing and a pump, at R320 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 Rustenburg?
A typical Rustenburg borehole, about 65 m deep with steel casing at the top, PVC casing and a pump, comes to about R42,925 at R320 a metre. Type your address into the quote tool for your own line-by-line price.
How deep is the water around Rustenburg?
Government monitoring boreholes in North West put the water at a median of 19 m below ground, with the middle half of readings between 7.5 m and 39 m. We price in North West 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 North West
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.