An Agricultural Water Survey locates groundwater for farm use: irrigation, livestock, dairies, packhouses and farm housing. It uses the same methods as an Underground Water Survey, but over a larger area and often for several boreholes, with more attention to yield and legal use.
Send your farm location, hectares and water use to get survey quotes.
Get the Best QuoteWhat Does an Agricultural Water Survey Include?
- Desk study of geology and existing farm boreholes.
- Geophysical traverses across target areas, often several kilometres in total.
- Ranking of drill sites by expected potential and distance to where water is needed.
- Advice on test pumping and water quality for irrigation or livestock.
Who Needs an Agricultural Water Survey?
- Irrigation farmers adding or replacing boreholes.
- Livestock farmers needing reliable stock water points.
- Game farms and lodges.
- Farms whose existing boreholes are declining.
How the Process Works
- Brief. Water demand, preferred areas and existing boreholes.
- Survey. Traverses across the most promising zones.
- Siting. Points pegged and ranked.
- Drill and test. Borehole Drilling followed by Borehole Yield Testing.
- Licensing. A hydrogeologist advises on registration or a licence where abstraction volumes require it.
What Affects the Cost?
- Area covered and number of target zones.
- Number of drill sites required.
- Methods used.
- Travel to the farm.
- Report requirements for licensing.
Agricultural Water Survey Prices
Ballpark prices so you can sanity-check a quote.
| Item | Ballpark price |
|---|---|
| Geophysical survey, per site | R5,000 - R15,000 |
| Comprehensive multi-method survey package | R10,500 - R28,000 |
| Agricultural or irrigation hydrogeological study | R50,000 - R200,000 |
| Yield test, per borehole | R1,500 - R7,500 |
Prices JUST UPDATED. Ballpark figures, rounded, taken from rates published by South African borehole businesses and cost guides. They are not our prices or quotes, and no contractor is bound by them. Most sources do not say whether VAT is included, so confirm VAT, travel and exclusions on every quote. No source publishes a farm-specific survey price, so quotes depend on area and number of sites.
Sources:
- Enviroleg - borehole geophysical survey prices
- Enviroleg - hydrogeological survey prices
- Enviroleg - borehole yield testing prices
- WaterPointSA - borehole cost guide for Gauteng
Get prices for your property rather than a range. Send one request, with no obligation to hire.
Get the Best QuoteWhat You Receive
- Ranked, pegged drill points with coordinates.
- Survey plots.
- Recommendations on testing and next steps.
Limitations
A survey improves the odds of drilling in the right place. It does not guarantee that water will be found, or the yield, depth or quality of any water that is found.
Irrigation volumes often need registration or a licence. Taking groundwater for reasonable household use is allowed under Schedule 1 of the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998). Larger use may fall under a General Authorisation, which sets limits per property and requires registration with the Department of Water and Sanitation above set volumes, or may need a water use licence. Some municipalities, such as the City of Cape Town, also require notice before drilling and registration of the borehole. Your contractor or hydrogeologist can tell you what applies to your property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can one survey cover several boreholes?
Yes. Farm surveys usually cover larger areas and rank several sites in one visit.
Do I need a licence to irrigate from a borehole?
It depends on volume and location. Schedule 1 covers only small-scale use. Most irrigation must be registered under a General Authorisation or licensed.
Is borehole water suitable for irrigation?
Only a lab test can tell. Salinity and some minerals can harm crops or soil. See Borehole Water Testing.
Related Services
Get farm survey quotes through Borehole Water Survey South Africa and compare the area covered and number of sites each surveyor will rank.
Borehole Water Survey South Africa is a quote-request service. We do not survey, drill, test or install, and we do not employ contractors. Work is quoted and carried out by independent groundwater and borehole businesses, and your contract is with the business you choose. Get a written quotation that sets out the scope, deliverables, exclusions and payment terms before you pay a deposit.
Agricultural Water Survey. Describe what you need once and get the best quote, fast.
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