Bore water comes from rain and river water seeping down to underground aquifers. A bore is drilled down to the aquifer and then pump tested to see how much water is available, the soil structure is noted to indicate whether the aquifer has a protective layer (contained) such as rock above it, or has no protective layer (uncontained) which means it is more easily contaminated. Water is then pumped from the bore into a storage tank for later use.
A bore should be protected from rain and surface water entering the well, it should have a locked protector cap, it should be well away from rubbish, animals, fertilizer, or other sources of contamination, and should have a back flow preventer to stop anything going back into the well and possibly polluting the aquifer. They also need to be tested periodically for contamination.
Bores are used by few people on the Island as they are expensive to install, but once set up a bore can be a reliable and clean source of water.
Bore Water cost example
An example of some of the costs associated with having a bore drilled on Great Barrier Island.
A resource consent must be obtained from the Auckland Council.
Drilling and constructing a water bore. Also includes getting drill rig and auxiliary gear to the island and accommodation, crew, and a one off job-discount for more than one job.
Installation of a Grundfos submersible pump installed on a non-corrosive system to top off the wellhead ready for hook up to services.
Last updated on the 21-06-2016