Anything wrong with this proposed borehole setup?

[trevorfarayi]

Good people,

I have decided that 2024 is the year that I secure as much peace in my home as I can. To start, I have decided to buckle to the missus' pressure for some 'water security' - sinking a borehole.

The current water backup situation is a 2,500lt tank connected to the municipal line, and a 0.75kW pump to get the water from the tank to the house.

The proposed borehole set up is as follows:

• Drill 70m
• Borehole pump - drill company quoted me for Hurricane 1.1kW pump, but I am thinking that the Franklin Submersible Borehole Kit AD2/14 0.75kW will be a better buy.
• 5,000lt tank
• Pressure pump - drill company has quoted me for a Hurricane 0.75kW booster pump, but I am thinking that a Grundfos Scala2 will be a better buy. The tanks are going to be quite far apart (with the bigger tank being closer to the borehole), so I will need a pump to get the water from the bigger tank to the smaller tank. The plan is to use the Scala2 for the smaller tank and use that to get the water into the house, and then move the existing pump and use it to get the water from the bigger tank to the smaller tank.

Anything about this set up, especially my alternative pump choices that I should rethink? Any suggestions?

 

[Magnum]

Firstly you chose a pump only after the hole has been drilled. You dont know if there is water and how much.
secondly a Pump only pumps the difference of hight between the tank top and the water level. as it drops you pump less at a higher back pressure.
you need to drain the hole and do a pressure and volume test to see how much water you can pull and spec the pump and motor according to that.
Just 2c from an old Senwes irrigation engineer that taught me.

 

[alqassam]

I would put the tanks next to each other and pump from borehole straight into the tank.

Tank into house consider the esybox from dab. Pricing has pretty much doubled since I out mine in a few years back. It only uses 300 to 500w at 3bar pressure. Which is solar friendly.

You also did not consider any filtration

 

[trevorfarayi]

I would put the tanks next to each other and pump from borehole straight into the tank.

Tank into house consider the esybox from dab. Pricing has pretty much doubled since I out mine in a few years back. It only uses 300 to 500w at 3bar pressure. Which is solar friendly.

You also did not consider any filtration

Thank you for this. That was my initial thought but I unfortunately do not have the space to be able to have the tanks next to each other.
I did look at the DAB pump, but the price is rather steep. I kept hearing 'esybox and scala2' being mentioned and the price is what is making me lean towards the scala2.
Yes, the filtration will be needed. I have been advised that it is best to pump a new borehole for about 8 weeks before doing a water test to determine the appropriate filtration system.

 

[trevorfarayi]

Firstly you chose a pump only after the hole has been drilled. You dont know if there is water and how much.
secondly a Pump only pumps the difference of hight between the tank top and the water level. as it drops you pump less at a higher back pressure.
you need to drain the hole and do a pressure and volume test to see how much water you can pull and spec the pump and motor according to that.
Just 2c from an old Senwes irrigation engineer that taught me.

You are right. My proposed setup is based on the assumption that there is water found, and a sufficient amount of it. I have also gone on the basis that every drilling company that has quoted me has included a 0.75kW pump for that depth (70m). Any views on my alternative pump choices?
Also, do you know anyone in the Joburg area that does that yield test and does not charge a kidney for it?

 

[hellfire]

You are right. My proposed setup is based on the assumption that there is water found, and a sufficient amount of it. I have also gone on the basis that every drilling company that has quoted me has included a 0.75kW pump for that depth (70m). Any views on my alternative pump choices?
Also, do you know anyone in the Joburg area that does that yield test and does not charge a kidney for it?

How much is a kidney?
If you want a yield test with a CoC / SANS certificate, unfortunately you'll have to pay up.
I've seen quite a few drillers who don't even offer this - they drill, pipe and leave

 

[trevorfarayi]

How much is a kidney?
If you want a yield test with a CoC / SANS certificate, unfortunately you'll have to pay up.
I've seen quite a few drillers who don't even offer this - they drill, pipe and leave

Sadly, there are actually a LOT of drillers who do exactly that!
So, any reputable ones you know?

 

[Magnum]

You are right. My proposed setup is based on the assumption that there is water found, and a sufficient amount of it. I have also gone on the basis that every drilling company that has quoted me has included a 0.75kW pump for that depth (70m). Any views on my alternative pump choices?
Also, do you know anyone in the Joburg area that does that yield test and does not charge a kidney for it?

Field test kit is trrow a pump down hole and drain it. Then connect a manifod with pressure gauges and multiple valves and meassure the water in a bucket with a stopwatch to get the L/h. Everyone I hav seen just includes or sticks a .75 or1.1kW pump in and calls it a day.
All the books and flow charts I have seen still makes me wonder how he did it. and we both studied out of a Huges electrical engineering textbook. His was just slightly thinner than mine being 30 years older.

 

[A3@MBB]

For interest sake, comparing Gauteng prices with WC, what did the quote came to?
I got a quote last year for a 120m hole lined 50% with 4.5mm steel pipes. I quickly closed it as the R120k+ figure that excluded pump, diesel and VAT was too much for me to digest.

 

[rh1]

Out of curiousity, how certain you need a borehole and not a well point?

My understanding is
Well point : Water is 10 metres or less underground

Borehole: Water is more than 10 metres underground.

I had a pipe stick out of the ground, when I moved in, I simply attached a pump, and water came out. It is in a crappy location though, would not have been my first choice.

Different pumps have different pressure and litres per minute flow specs.

Currently, my wellpoint pump is 1.1kw metabo( may be a .75kw, i was looking at both, i think i bought the 1.1kw). It is controlled by a float switched, which switch on when the water level is too low in the first tank. The pumps fills up all four tanks.

My four tanks is connected to metabo .45kw pump no1 and which is controlled by an automatic pressure switch, which is currently connected to my washing machines and a outside tap. Open tap, pressure switch activates the pump. The water pressure appears similar to my council pressure. At least to my senses. Dont have a proper pressure gauge to measure.

Lesson learned the hard way: use the blue pipes and pvc glue everything, no leaks, which means your pressure switch does not switch on all the time, only when you open a tap.

Second pump metabo 0.45kw is used for irrigation and controlled by irrigation computer. This is also fed from my tanks.

My next step is a full filtration system, but my December budget was used up on other things. Last step is to connect to house for shower and toilet use.

 

[marhsava]

Where can you get the water tested for consumption?

My current borehole is connected for irrigation, I want to use it as a backup system aswell.

 

[trevorfarayi]

For interest sake, comparing Gauteng prices with WC, what did the quote came to?
I got a quote last year for a 120m hole lined 50% with 4.5mm steel pipes. I quickly closed it as the R120k+ figure that excluded pump, diesel and VAT was too much for me to digest.

The quote I referred to was for R83k. A neighbour had his done for R85k for 40m...everything included (tank, etc.).

 

[trevorfarayi]

Out of curiousity, how certain you need a borehole and not a well point?

My understanding is
Well point : Water is 10 metres or less underground

Borehole: Water is more than 10 metres underground.

I had a pipe stick out of the ground, when I moved in, I simply attached a pump, and water came out. It is in a crappy location though, would not have been my first choice.

Different pumps have different pressure and litres per minute flow specs.

Currently, my wellpoint pump is 1.1kw metabo( may be a .75kw, i was looking at both, i think i bought the 1.1kw). It is controlled by a float switched, which switch on when the water level is too low in the first tank. The pumps fills up all four tanks.

My four tanks is connected to metabo .45kw pump no1 and which is controlled by an automatic pressure switch, which is currently connected to my washing machines and a outside tap. Open tap, pressure switch activates the pump. The water pressure appears similar to my council pressure. At least to my senses. Dont have a proper pressure gauge to measure.

Lesson learned the hard way: use the blue pipes and pvc glue everything, no leaks, which means your pressure switch does not switch on all the time, only when you open a tap.

Second pump metabo 0.45kw is used for irrigation and controlled by irrigation computer. This is also fed from my tanks.

My next step is a full filtration system, but my December budget was used up on other things. Last step is to connect to house for shower and toilet use.

I had them do one of those scans that they say shows where the 'big water' is. Mine is 70m underground. A check with those in my area who have boreholes points to this being about right. The neighbour I mentioned above who had his at 40m is about 1km from me in a valley. I am a bit higher up.

I am thinking I might have to phase in the installation too, and not do it all at once. I will need to make a compelling case to the missus though .

 

[W@P]

Where can you get the water tested for consumption?

My current borehole is connected for irrigation, I want to use it as a backup system aswell.

Maybe try your stomach and see if it agrees?

 

[trevorfarayi]

Field test kit is trrow a pump down hole and drain it. Then connect a manifod with pressure gauges and multiple valves and meassure the water in a bucket with a stopwatch to get the L/h. Everyone I hav seen just includes or sticks a .75 or1.1kW pump in and calls it a day.
All the books and flow charts I have seen still makes me wonder how he did it. and we both studied out of a Huges electrical engineering textbook. His was just slightly thinner than mine being 30 years older.

Sure sounds 'simple' enough...except I have no idea how to do all that . As @hellfire mentioned, I need to start looking for a buyer for my kidney...and start researching how much I need to cut my drinking down by if I have one kidney.

 

[trevorfarayi]

Maybe try your stomach and see if it agrees?

 

[The_MAC]

The quote I referred to was for R83k. A neighbour had his done for R85k for 40m...everything included (tank, etc.).

Would you mind sharing the contractors details? You can PM me

 

[The_MAC]

I had them do one of those scans that they say shows where the 'big water' is. Mine is 70m underground. A check with those in my area who have boreholes points to this being about right. The neighbour I mentioned above who had his at 40m is about 1km from me in a valley. I am a bit higher up.

I am thinking I might have to phase in the installation too, and not do it all at once. I will need to make a compelling case to the missus though .

If you look at the cost per KL, it makes business sense, will probably pay it off in less than 5 years

 

[hellfire]

Sadly, there are actually a LOT of drillers who do exactly that!
So, any reputable ones you know?

I used Stark Boreholes.
Quite a bit more expensive, but they did a good job and issued a certificate after the yield test.
Steel casing was used from the top of the hole until they reached rock (many drillers just use PVC the whole way down). This is a better way to ensure longevity of the borehole - a shift of sand won't just crush my borehole closed.
They have a bunch of drilling rigs so they can match the rig to the depth as per the survey.

 

[AchmatK]

Where can you get the water tested for consumption?

My current borehole is connected for irrigation, I want to use it as a backup system aswell.

You need to get the SANS241 water portability test done.

I'm in Somerset West and it done by Bemlabs.

I'm not sure if they have locations closer to you.

The test needs to be done shortly after the sample is collected. I dropped off mine in a 500ml glass bottle. They took too long to do the test so had to drop off a second sample the following week.