Property owners in Johannesburg need to obtain written consent from the City of Johannesburg before drilling a borehole, says the municipality, as it is subject to certain provisions of the municipality’s Land Use Scheme of 2018 (LUS).
As part of the application process, comments from the City’s Engineering Department and Environmental Infrastructure Service Department are required to ascertain that the proposed borehole will not have a detrimental impact on existing infrastructure, it says.
“It must be noted that the City does not consider or approve borehole applications in areas that are dolomitic as enlisted in the LUS,” says its Department of Development Planning.
Property owners need to provide the municipality with fourteen days’ written notice of their intention to drill a borehole, as required by the City’s Public Health Bylaws.
The National Water Act 36 of 1998 outlines that property owners may need a license to use water from the borehole, depending on the amount of water abstracted.
“The borehole must be adequately covered to prevent injuries and a noticeable sign indicating the presence of the borehole should be affixed to the property.”
“These regulations ensure that borehole drilling is conducted safely and sustainably. There may be hidden infrastructure that could be damaged or even a sinkhole appearing,” notes the City.
The Department further adds that property owners bust be cautioned against making “uninformed decisions” which can be costly, and they must avoid being exploited by “unscrupulous companies” in the quest to secure a constant water supply.
Boreholes are regulated by the Department of Water and Sanitation under the National Water Act which include:
- Requiring a permit from the Department of Water and Sanitation, coupled with the City’s approval before drilling a borehole.
- Written consent applications for long-existing boreholes must be submitted to the City.
- A Hydrogeological study must be conducted when required.
- Boreholes can only be used for specific purposes such as domestic use, commercial use, and monitoring purposes and not for alternative (non-portable) uses such as flushing toilets, irrigation etc.
- The Department of Water and Sanitation also requires monitoring of boreholes with submissions of reports on water levels, water quality, and borehole maintenance.
- When a borehole is no longer in use, it must be properly rehabilitated to prevent contamination of the surrounding groundwater.
- The Department of Water and Sanitation and the City may impose restrictions on the drilling and use of boreholes in certain areas to protect the environment and to preserve water resources.
For more information, property owners can contact Kerileng Daniels (Manager LUM Registration Unit, Development Planning) or Ondela Tywakadi (Environment and Infrastructure Service Department, Water Services, Policy Development and Regulation).
