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How deep is a borehole in South Africa?
By BoreholePro. Updated 12 October 2026.
Most household boreholes in South Africa are drilled to 47 to 90 m. In the government’s Limpopo drilling records the typical hole is 63 m. The water itself usually stands much higher: the median across 2,501 government monitoring boreholes is 12 m below ground. The hole goes deeper than the water so the pump stays covered in dry months and enough water can flow in.
- Typical drilled depth
- 63 m
- Middle half of holes
- 47–90 m
- Water below ground (median)
- 12 m
- Monitoring boreholes
- 2,501
How deep is the water, province by province?
From the latest reading at each government monitoring borehole (2016 to 2026):
| Province | Median water level | Middle half of readings | Within 20 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gauteng | 27 m | 12–52 m | 42% |
| Limpopo | 14 m | 6.8–26 m | 65% |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 6.8 m | 3–13 m | 89% |
| Western Cape | 10 m | 4.7–20 m | 74% |
| Eastern Cape | 11 m | 5.8–19 m | 76% |
| Mpumalanga | 8.8 m | 3.4–17 m | 82% |
| North West | 19 m | 7.5–39 m | 53% |
| Free State | 6.9 m | 3.7–12 m | 91% |
| Northern Cape | 13 m | 6–27 m | 64% |
How deep do boreholes have to be drilled?
Where the government has drilling records, we use the depth of real holes near you. In Limpopo’s records the middle half of holes were drilled to 47 to 90 m. Elsewhere we price from the water level, with room for the pump and for dry years:
| Water below ground | Depth we price for |
|---|---|
| Less than 20 m | 65 m |
| 20 to 35 m | 70 m |
| 35 to 60 m | 80 m |
| More than 60 m | 100 m |
The site visit, and the drilling itself, set the final depth.
When do you stop drilling a borehole?
When the hole has passed enough water strikes, the cracks or layers where water flows in, to give the flow you need, plus extra depth below them so the pump stays covered when the level drops. If no water comes in, drilling stops at a depth agreed before the rig starts, so a dry hole doesn’t run up an open-ended bill.
How deep should a borehole be for drinking water?
There is no single safe depth. Deeper water is usually better protected from the surface, but what matters most is a sealed top so surface water can’t run down the outside of the casing, a good distance from septic tanks and kraals, and a lab test before anyone drinks it. See borehole water testing.
How long does drilling take?
A household borehole is usually drilled in a day, sometimes two in hard rock or at depth. Casing, the yield test and fitting the pump follow.
Questions people ask
How deep should a borehole be?
Deep enough to pass enough water strikes for the flow you need, with the pump well below the lowest water level. Most household boreholes end up 47 to 90 m deep.
What is the average depth of a borehole in South Africa?
In the government’s Limpopo drilling records the typical hole is 63 m. The water stands at a median of 12 m below ground across the government’s monitoring boreholes.
When should you stop drilling a borehole?
Once enough water strikes give the flow you need, plus depth for the pump. If no water comes in, at a maximum depth agreed before drilling starts.
How long does it take to drill a borehole?
Usually a day for a household borehole, sometimes two in hard rock or at depth.
Related
Get a price for your borehole
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.