The work we do under your land
From scientific siting and consulting to drilling, testing, pumping and reporting, Aqua Earth delivers the full groundwater capability your site needs, executed by hydrogeologists, drillers and engineers in-house.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
One specialist firm. Every step from site survey to sustainable yield.
Most clients call us when they’re tired of stitching together a geophysicist, a drilling contractor, a pump installer and a water-quality lab, and ending up with four people pointing at each other when the borehole underperforms.
We handle the entire scope. The same team that recommends where to drill is responsible for what comes out of the hole. That accountability is what makes the science worth paying for.
What you take away from working with us
- A documented, defensible groundwater strategy for your site
- Sustainable yield figures you can rely on, not just a hole
- Reporting that satisfies DWS, auditors, lenders and buyers
- One point of contact from first call to final commissioning
- Equipment and pumps installed and tested, ready to operate
CHOOSE YOUR ROUTE
The same science.
Three different jobs.
What “good water work” means is different depending on what you’re trying to protect. Pick the route that matches your site for the detail that matters to you.
Mining & Industrial
Compliance-grade groundwater for production sites.
Process water, dewatering, monitoring and remediation work where a single dry hole or an audit failure costs more than the entire project. Our reports stand up to DWS scrutiny, board reviews and due diligence.
Feasibility · siting · production drilling · pump testing · monitoring boreholes · DWS-compliant reporting
Agricultural
Sustainable yield you can plan a harvest around.
Boreholes sited and tested for what your crops, herd or irrigation system actually consume, across a full season, not just the day we hit water. With pump systems sized to match the yield, not the other way round.
Typical Scope
Siting surveys · irrigation borehole drilling · sustainable yield testing · solar pumping · livestock reticulation
Domestic
Off the municipal grid, with the science behind it.
A residential borehole done properly: surveyed before drilling, tested for honest yield, equipped with the right pump and tank, and drilled with a smaller rig that won’t tear up your paving or your garden.
Typical Scope
Property survey · siting · small-footprint drilling · pump & tank install · water-quality test · solar option
Everything we do under one roof.
Geohydrology & Consulting
- Groundwater feasibility & cost-benefit modelling
- Aerial & satellite imagery interpretation
- Desktop hydrogeological studies
- Regional hydrogeological mapping & zoning
- Geophysical site surveys
- Sustainable yield assessments
- Aquifer characterisation & recharge estimation
- Risk assessment & site characterisation
Drilling & Construction
- Production water boreholes
- Monitoring & piezometer installations
- Mine dewatering boreholes
= Geotechnical & environmental boreholes
- Multiple drilling techniques
- Steel & PVC casing to BWASA standards
- Borehole development & rehabilitation
- Drilling supervision (when client uses own contractor)
Testing, Pumping & Compliance
-Step & constant-rate pump tests
- Recovery testing & analysis
- SANS 241 water-quality analysis
- Pump sizing, supply & installation
- Solar borehole pump systems
- Tank, control panel & reticulation
- Groundwater monitoring programmes
- DWS reporting & water-use licence support
HOW WE WORK
A four-step method,
followed on every project.
Mining, agricultural or domestic, the discipline is the same. The depth changes with the scale of the site.
Understand
Site visit, water needs assessed, desktop hydrogeological review of the area. We tell you upfront whether drilling makes sense.
Investigate
Geophysical survey at candidate sites. We site the borehole based on data, not on where the rig can reach.
Construct
Drilling, casing and development to BWASA standards. Every metre logged. Every water strike recorded.
Verify & Equip
Pump testing for sustainable yield. Water quality lab analysis. Pump, tank and controls installed. Final reporting pack delivered.
Verified Capability
Audited, accredited, and answerable.
ISO 9001:2015
Quality management certified, re-audited annually
BWASA Member
Borehole Water Association of South Africa, in good standing
Level 2 B-BBEE
Contributor status, current certificate available on request
Pr.Sci.Nat Hydrogeologists
SACNASP-registered scientists on every project
SCOPING QUESTIONS
What buyers ask
before they brief us.
Do you handle the full scope, or do we still need a separate driller and pump installer?
Full scope. Aqua Earth holds the hydrogeology, drilling, pump testing and installation capability in-house. For very specialised work (e.g. third-party SANAS-accredited water labs) we use vetted partners, but the project is managed and delivered by us. You get one quote, one contract, one point of accountability.
Can you produce reports suitable for our DWS water-use application?
Yes. Our standard project pack for commercial sites includes a hydrogeological assessment, drilling and construction log, pump-test analysis with sustainable yield calculation, and SANS 241 water-quality results, formatted to support a National Water Act Section 21 water-use application. We work directly with your environmental consultant or attorney where required.
How do you decide which drilling technique to use?
The geology decides, not the rig in the yard. Air percussion is fast and effective in hard rock but can damage soft formations. Mud rotary stabilises unstable sands. Diamond core gives us geological samples for mining and geotechnical work. We carry multiple rigs and select the technique to suit the site after the geophysical survey, which is why we don’t quote drilling rates before site investigation.
Do you supervise drilling where we already have a contractor on site?
Yes. We provide independent hydrogeological supervision for clients using their own or third-party drillers, recording water strikes, logging the formation, validating casing depth, and producing the final construction log. This is common on mine sites where drilling contracts are already in place but technical oversight is required for compliance.
What's the difference between yield testing on day one and sustainable yield?
A borehole can deliver impressive flow when first drilled, that’s “blow yield,” air pushing water out during drilling. Sustainable yield is what the borehole can deliver continuously, day after day, without drawing down the aquifer. The two figures can differ by an order of magnitude. We never quote yield without a constant-rate pump test, and we won’t recommend equipment based on blow yield alone. This is the single biggest reason boreholes drilled by others fail within a season.
For domestic clients — do you do small jobs or only large commercial projects?
Both. Our commercial work funds the equipment, our domestic work keeps our crews busy between large projects. We bring the same scientific discipline to a Centurion suburb as to a Limpopo mine, but with a smaller, low-impact rig sized for residential erven and tighter timelines. Domestic clients get the benefit of mining-grade siting at a domestic price point.
How quickly can you get on site for an emergency?
For existing clients and emergency borehole failures, we can usually mobilise an assessment crew within 48 hours and a drilling rig within 1–2 weeks, depending on rig availability and travel distance. For mine dewatering emergencies, where production is at stake, we have escalated response protocols, call us first, scope after.
THE NEXT STEP
Tell us about your site.
We'll tell you what's actually possible.
Every site is different. The smartest first step isn’t a quote, it’s a conversation with one of our hydrogeologists about what’s known about your area, what’s likely under your land, and whether drilling is even the right answer.
Free · No obligation · Typically scheduled within 2 business days · You speak directly with a hydrogeologist