Bore water must be tested and certified safe before being used for drinking, cooking, swimming pools, spas or watering edible plants such as home grown vegetables.
Bore water can, unfortunately, be contaminated with faeces (poo) and chemicals such as heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons & nitrates. SA Health recommends that bore water quality be tested on a regular basis because contamination can occur at any time.
Home grown fruit & vegetables can be unsafe to eat if they are being watered with contaminated bore water.
Testing requirements vary between private bores and commercial or community-based bores. All bores must have microbiological (E. coli) and chemical quality testing before use. Our water management specialists, with over 35 years experience, can advise you of what testing is required to comply with EPA & Health Department requirements.
All bore water testing should be done by a National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited laboratory. Water Management Australia Pty Ltd provides a free service to collect & sample all bores throughout South Australia & Victoria. Please contact our laboratory on 08 8557 4347 or firstname.lastname@example.org to arrange sampling, or for a no obligation free quotation.
If at any stage there are changes in appearance or odour of bore water, immediate water quality testing must be carried out to ensure the water is still fit for purpose.
Water Management Australia Pty Ltd provides a Certificate of Analysis for all water testing and will provide assistance with interpretation of your test results & any recommended treatment methods required to bring your bore water to the required standard.
Regular bore water testing should be part of your documented Bore Water Risk Management Plan. Water Management Australia Pty Ltd can develop this plan for you.
Poor quality bore water can: create alkaline soil due to high levels of calcium, cause berries & fruit to dye off, reduce grapes fruiting due to high chloride levels, block spray nozzles with calcium & magnesium carbonate, reduce weight gain in birds & stock.
Salinity levels when stock production declines are 2,000 ppm for poultry & pigs, 4,000 ppm for horses, 6,000 ppm for mature sheep, 3,800 ppm for nursing ewes & lambs, 4,000 ppm for mature cattle and 3,200 ppm for lactating cattle & calves.