With news that water charges are set to rise by at least 30 per cent, it’s not a time for house owners, smallholders and farmers to bury their heads in the sand – but perhaps it is time to start digging down to bedrock

ALREADY SINKING IN a rising tide of utility charges, householders are facing a 30 per cent hike in their water costs. For people whose farms, smallholdings or businesses depend on an affordable water supply, it’s a hike too far.

And it’s not just cost. Many people dread the hosepipe bans and interrupted supplies that even a short spell of dry weather can bring. Many are worried about the impact on health of water additives such as fluoride and chlorine.

More and more people are opting for the alternative – a private supply from a borehole drilled deep into the clear waters of the mineral strata under their land or gardens.

Tony Goff, from Churchstoke near Montgomery, decided a borehole was the answer to his water worries.

His cottage had no mains water and had been fed from a private spring. Though the spring had never dried up, he was nervous that at some time in the future they would be left without a water supply.

‘We wanted a reliable supply and we wanted better quality water from deeper down. The water from our shallow spring was often cloudy from the clay and not pleasant to drink.’

Work begins with a hydrogeology report – or prognosis – which costs around £200. This survey gives an indication of the underlying geology, whether water is likely to be found and at what depth.

The hills around Tony’s home are, he says, ‘full of water’, so he was given a prognosis of 80 per cent. The very first borehole reached a supply at 19 metres, but the drilling team recommended going further down into the bedrock for an even better supply.

Providing there are no special permissions to apply for, the whole procedure from survey to the first glass of sparkling water can take from around a month.

‘On-site work can last 10 to 15 days. Drilling typically takes three or four days, and then pipework and cables need to be installed,’ says Brian Morgan of water well drillers WB+AD Morgan, ‘The submersible pump is placed in the borehole and tested and, finally, water is sent to the laboratory to check its purity.’

So was Tony happy with his decision?

‘It’s beautiful, clear mineral water,’ says Tony. ‘A good, reliable supply is absolutely essential and it really is an asset for the house – not least in case we wanted to sell.’

 

Jonathan Benbow—'Water from the private supply is delicious'

 

 

Jonathan Benbow, who runs a broiler farm near Much Wenlock in Shropshire, was tired of paying his water company £9,000 a year. For him, a borehole was a shrewd financial investment.

‘With the prospect of water prices rising 30 per cent and our water use going up too, we really had to give it a go – even though we’d failed to find a water supply a few years ago,’ says Jonathan.

‘We’re in a heavy clay area, so we brought the borehole as close as we could to an area of rock where there was a better chance of hitting water. When they did find a water, it was artesian, which meant an incredibly strong supply.’

Jonathan estimates that we’ll recoup the cost over the next few years and, with his eye on the next 20 years in business, the eventual savings will be significant.

Though it did come down to cold hard cash, there has been an added benefit.

‘It had got to the point where we knew on which day the water company was putting chlorine in – and knew not to make a cup of tea on a Friday,’ he says. ‘Water from the private supply is delicious.’

And maintenance? ‘Apart from checking the paper and UV filters now and again, the borehole simply sits there and does its job.’

 

 

The Wilds moved into their bungalow near Bishops Castle in August last year, and by September were completely without water. Their private spring water supply had dried up and didn’t flow again until November.

‘The water level had been up and down and the system had silted up,’ says Stanley. ‘Even when we had water, there wasn’t much of a head.’

The Wilds researched the alternatives and looked at the geology of their area on the National Geographic Society’s website. What they discovered, along with the fact that the neighbouring farm had a successful borehole supply, convinced them that a borehole was the answer.

‘We did consider a 900 gallon storage tank at the side of the spring, but we weren’t sure – given another dry summer – that this would guarantee us a supply.’

The company carried out a geological survey of their land and found a spot, well away from their septic tanks. The drilling team went down to 40 metres and tapped into a supply equivalent to 4,000 gallons a day – more than enough for the Wilds.

‘It was a capital outlay we weren’t expecting, but when you consider we’re looking at 30 years of retirement here, it was essential. When we look back, it does seem a good thing that we ran out of water because now we have a better and totally reliable supply.’

 

Boring facts

• Most bottled water brands come from boreholes
• Boreholes can cut water costs by up to 80 per cent. A cubic metre of water from a public supply costs around 77p. A million gallons costs about £3,500. A commercial user would pay £32.50 to the Environment Agency for a similar quantity
• Once you’ve paid for the borehole and pump system, your only cost is electricity to run the pump. There’s no water meter and no water bills
• In many cases, borehole water doesn’t need any treatment. If there is any contamination, an ultraviolet (UV) sterilisation unit and pre-filter are installed. Unlike chemical purification, they don’t taint the water
• A new borehole, installed to a high standard, and with modern materials such as PVC and stainless steel should last a lifetime
• Under new Water Bill legislation, users who take under 20 cubic metres of water a day – 20 tonnes of water – don’t need a licence to abstract