Borehole Water Quality

Borehole Water Quality testing is a basic requirement for maintaining healthy water supplies. Water testing should preferably be after a rainy period but can be conducted year-round, from water storage dams to public borehole and tanks.

Rainwater may be quite pure before it reaches the ground, but should you want to drink harvested rain water off your roof, it must be adequately treated and cleansed as dust, leaves and other remains would have already contaminated.

Borehole Water Quality is often assumed to be ‘pure’, but this is not the case. Apart from the usual human sources of pollution, groundwater can be naturally contaminated. Water storage facilities such as boreholes, water tanks and more can also be a source of infection, for instance: artificial liners in the water tanks may begin to break down after recommended service life has been reached.

Small animals and inserts may also have access to underground water. The increased demand on water suppliers has led to water that is unfit for human consumption. This is often the case in several smaller towns throughout South Africa. Where river upstream contaminated via sewerage and human use of washing of clothes and more is an important consideration for Borehole Water Quality.

You may be concerned about the Borehole Water Quality you are drinking if you rely on your borehole or other private water supply.

Why Test Your Borehole Water Quality?

Almost all water contains contaminants, even in the absence of nearby pollution-causing activities. Many dissolved minerals, organic carbon compounds, and microbes find their way into your drinking water as water meets air and soil.

Obvious water problems, such as staining of plumbing fixtures and laundry, as well as many objectionable tastes and odours, may be evidence of extreme levels of contaminants in your household water supply.

Long term exposure to contaminated water can lead to serious health risks.

Weakness, Weight loss, Joint stiffness, Breakable bones, Discoloration of teeth and anaemia.

Insect killer residue and industrial pollution affecting Borehole Water Quality and tank water a constant problem.

What to Test For?

Borehole Water Quality testing would be very expensive. If you could have every potential water pollutant tested for, relatively few have established standards, allowing one to assess how serious the pollutant contamination may be.

Knowing which water contaminants are most likely to be a problem and being aware of the warning signs of certain contaminants can make water testing more meaningful and economic.

It is a good idea to conduct regular testing, as often as annually, for the following:

• Bacteria
• Nitrate/Nitrites
• pH
• Total dissolved solids (TDS).
• Fluoride
• Organic Carbon Contaminants (Pesticides, Industrial Pollution etc.)