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Borehole drilling in the Western Cape
By BoreholePro. Updated 12 October 2026.
A typical borehole in the Western 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 Western Cape put the water at a median 10 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)
- 10 m
- Typical borehole
- 65 m
- Drilling rate
- R330 /m
- Lined and pumping
- R43,575
How much does borehole drilling cost in the Western Cape?
Here is what a 65 m borehole in the Western 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 Western Cape?
The government’s monitoring boreholes in the Western Cape put the water at a median of 10 m below ground. The middle half of readings sit between 4.7 m and 20 m, and 74% 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 Cape Town at about 65 m.
For how depth is decided anywhere in the country, see how deep is a borehole.
Is borehole water in the Western Cape safe to drink?
Of the boreholes the government has tested in the Western Cape, 36% were over the salt limit (salty water tastes bad and scales up kettles, geysers and pipes). 27% were over the manganese limit and 3% over the fluoride 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.
Sand aquifers and hard rock
The Western Cape has two very different kinds of borehole country. On the sandy flats around Cape Town and up the West Coast, water sits in sand close to the surface, which is where wellpoints work. In the mountains and the Boland, water sits deeper in hard sandstone and needs a drilled borehole.
Salt and manganese are the common problems
Government tests in the province most often fail on salt and manganese. Salty water damages geysers and gardens, and manganese stains basins black. Neither is usually a health risk at those levels, but both are worth a test before you choose pipes, a pump and a filter.
Towns in the Western Cape
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).
Borehole drilling in Malmesbury
Our quote tool prices an address in central Malmesbury at about 65 m and R43,575, lined and pumping.
Water at a median 10 m below ground (88% of readings within 20 m); drilling at R330 a metre (national average).
Borehole drilling in George
Our quote tool prices an address in central George at about 65 m and R43,575, lined and pumping.
Water at a median 13 m below ground (71% of readings within 20 m); drilling at R330 a metre (national average).
City pages in the Western Cape
Questions people ask
How much does a borehole cost in the Western 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.
Is a wellpoint or a borehole better in the Western Cape?
On sandy ground with shallow water, such as parts of the Cape Flats and the West Coast, a wellpoint is cheaper and can be enough for a garden. Where the ground is rock, or you need more water or water through dry summers, a drilled borehole reaches further down. The site visit tells you which your plot needs.
How deep is the water in the Western Cape?
Government monitoring boreholes in the Western Cape put the water at a median of 10 m below ground, with the middle half of readings between 4.7 m and 20 m. We price in the Western 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 Western 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.