Following the recent media coverage of damage to the Gautrain tunnel as a result of the drilling of a borehole, the Borehole Water Association of Southern Africa (BWA) has emphasised that borehole drilling is not an illegal activity and is advocating for the responsible and legal use of borehole water.

This comes amid the National Water and Sanitation Indaba taking place from March 27 to 28 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng, which highlights the government’s commitment to tackling South Africa’s water security challenges and ensuring reliable, sustainable water and sanitation services for all citizens.

According to BWA drilling division technical adviser Albertus Lombaard, borehole drilling provided access to safe drinking water.

He explained that ‘consent for borehole’ procedures were usually in place, but these measures were at times not consistently enforced or followed.

“The unfortunate incident involving a non-member of the BWA drilling into the Gautrain tunnel has highlighted the consent process, leading to a standstill in the borehole drilling industry in Gauteng.

“As a consequence of this incident, drillers have been arrested and police officials are demanding to see proof of consent,” noted Lombaard.

He explained that city bylaws safeguard municipal infrastructure and most municipalities implement an approval process to minimise the risk of damage to this infrastructure. The process involved gathering input from various departments before drilling could be consented to.

“In light of the water crisis in Gauteng, the BWA is collaborating with the Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni municipalities to expedite borehole consent approvals and reduce the turnaround time for these approvals,” he said.

Lombaard pointed out that, in 2016, a memorandum of agreement was signed by Johannesburg Water MD Lungile Dhlamini and BWA president Colin Rice to encourage the city’s residents to switch to borehole water as a way of mitigating the drought.

Although drought conditions had eased, the challenges related to water availability and infrastructure conditions had left many taps in the city dry in recent months, said Lombaard, emphasising the importance of boreholes in alleviating short-term water crises.

“The BWA advocates for the responsible and legal use of borehole water throughout Southern Africa. BWA members engage in responsible drilling activities that consider risks to infrastructure and manage those risks appropriately.”

He encourages the public to consult a drilling contractor to understand and mitigate site-specific risks, adding that minimum standards from the South African Bureau of Standards were available to guide drilling activities for the successful installation of a borehole.

“The BWA has engaged with city officials to establish a working group, where we collaborate to explore ways of expediting the consent process. The BWA urges clients, contractors and officials to approach each situation with caution and restraint while the city and industry strive to find a quicker path forward,” he said, noting that groundwaterwas the primary source of water for over 80% of towns in Southern Africa.

“Water is life and a compliant borehole allows responsible access to this precious resource.”