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Boreholes

We provide comprehensive borehole services, including siting, permits, drilling, installation, and maintenance, ensuring reliable water solutions.

Siting

The first step in getting a borehole, the correct location is hugely important and there are many factors to consider when doing so. The ground type and intersection of underlying fractures greatly dictate the probability of a successful borehole. There are two common techniques of siting in Zimbabwe, the Traditional Method and the Geological survey Method.
The traditional method or water dowsing /divining makes use of the Y branch, a water-filled bottle, L rods, pendulums, etc. This method is used extensively in Zimbabwe and is surprisingly effective. Good water dowers with experience can predict breaks, depths, and expected yields to a great degree of accuracy.
The traditional method or water dowsing /divining makes use of the Y branch, a water-filled bottle, L rods, pendulums, etc. This method is used extensively in Zimbabwe and is surprisingly effective. Good water dowers with experience can predict breaks, depths, and expected yields to a great degree of accuracy.
Geological surveys make use of resistance mapping to locate flaws and soft zones in the earth’s crust in which water may be resident. This method of surveying, being scientific is usually more expensive than the traditional method as more manpower is required and the time needed can be extensive.
When having your borehole sited, one must also consider the following:
  • Possible pollution sources.
  • Access for drilling.
  • References of the siter, and their statistics of success locally.
  • Guarantees and money-back options.
  • The yield and depth of other boreholes in the surrounding area.
  • Security of the site post installation.
  • Distances from utility points.
Always insist on a site report including a location sketch, GPS coordinates, breaks, expected water yield, and depth. This information is also needed for your ZINWA drilling permit.
Lastly, ensure your Dowser is readily available in case a decision to drill deeper is required. Professional dowsers make themselves available ‘with warning’ and have no problem with this.

Borehole permits

A ZINWA drilling permit is required by law. Vortex offers to facilitate these applications for customers.
For example, Harare falls under two ZINWA Catchment Councils relating to the two catchment systems about the city, namely the Upper Manyame and the Nyagui. Applications can be made directly to them. The Nyagui catchment falls in the Northeastern sector of the city and is bordered by the Acturus Road, Raintree, Kew Drive, Ridgeway North section and the Borrowdale Road. Property outside of this sector this falls under Upper Manyame.

Drilling and Casing

Vortex Drilling offers various solutions for drilling a successful borehole around Zimbabwe. Standard borehole depths range from 60 – 100m, but this is entirely dependant of the location and ground conditions. The rare and lucky few find prolific water at 20m, yet others may require 250m depths to achieve the same, well within Vortex’s capabilities.
Collapsing or high silt content holes may require casing (PVC or steel) down the entire length, whereas most do not require more than a single lining of PVC casing to hard rock. Our hole diameters range from 6 inch (150mm) up to 10 inches (250mm), again mostly depending on ground conditions and required depth.
We have drilled thousands of successful boreholes in our over 15 years of operating. Our records are extensive, and we can confidently state there is no company with more experience than us at boreholes in Zimbabwe.

Drilling and Casing

Vortex Drilling offers various solutions for drilling a successful borehole around Zimbabwe. Standard borehole depths range from 60 – 100m, but this is entirely dependant of the location and ground conditions. The rare and lucky few find prolific water at 20m, yet others may require 250m depths to achieve the same, well within Vortex’s capabilities.
Collapsing or high silt content holes may require casing (PVC or steel) down the entire length, whereas most do not require more than a single lining of PVC casing to hard rock. Our hole diameters range from 6 inch (150mm) up to 10 inches (250mm), again mostly depending on ground conditions and required depth.
We have drilled thousands of successful boreholes in our over 15 years of operating. Our records are extensive, and we can confidently state there is no company with more experience than us at boreholes in Zimbabwe.

Capacity testing

An often-overlooked step, capacity testing is used to determine the maximum sustainable drawdown on the borehole and the dynamic stabilised water level too.
This information is gathered over a period of hours and is useful information to both the user and the installer. It is required to accurately determine the pump and motor combination ensuring longevity of both the borehole and pumping unit.
During the process of capacity testing, water-born particles, cuttings, and silt are pumped out of the hole along with the water and this can also prolong the life of your wet-end pump.

Capacity testing

An often-overlooked step, capacity testing is used to determine the maximum sustainable drawdown on the borehole and the dynamic stabilised water level too.
This information is gathered over a period of hours and is useful information to both the user and the installer. It is required to accurately determine the pump and motor combination ensuring longevity of both the borehole and pumping unit.
During the process of capacity testing, water-born particles, cuttings, and silt are pumped out of the hole along with the water and this can also prolong the life of your wet-end pump.

Installations

There are so many variables and ideas of what’s acceptable and what is not in pump installations that it’s impossible to cover it all. Vortex offers everything from bush pumps and aprons, well pumps, standard, low, and high yield borehole pumps, holding tanks, gravity and pressurised reticulation networks, and various power systems including solar, ZESA mains, and/or generator and inverter units.
We recommend you only entertain reputable installers who offer good backup services and use good quality pumps as there are so many hit and run installers out there.
Some general tips are as follows:
  • Discuss the preferred system at length with your chosen installer. Your current infrastructure and reticulation network will greatly influence the type of system most suitable for your demands.
  • Show the installer the drilling report and capacity test if applicable.
  • Discuss and settle on the type of pump to be installed. Ask where it was made.
  • Insist on proper submersible cabling down the hole.
  • Insist on a proper manhole and security cover. These help prevent both theft and contamination by way of holes filling with soil and silt runoff, resulting in a longer lifespan for the borehole.
  • Make sure there are bleed valves on the pressure tank. These are very important once you understand the lifecycle of a pressurised system.
  • Keep a record of any pump and motor manufacturer numbers.
  • Ensure the pump is lowered to the correct depth.
  • Electrics must be handled by electricians only, especially in your house.
  • Most importantly, be there and find out where everything is laid and how the system works and maintained.

Maintenance and rehabilitation

Warranties and Guarantees.
Proving our commitment to the Client, Vortex warrantees all holes and all new installations from date of completion. This warrantee stands for one year and is against all workmanship carried out by Vortex personnel.
Flushing
There are several reasons for flushing a borehole. The main reason is to purge the hole of siltation settlement which can occur over some years. Alternatively, when a borehole is sunk, where there are high levels of fine water born particles that require extensive pumping and flushing to eliminate. When flushing, compressed air is pumped down the borehole to blow out the sands and silt that has accumulated at the bottom. This is generally the most effective treatment for borehole rejuvenation.
Re-casing
Re-casing is most often not possible in the literal sense, but is a term used in the borehole industry to signify the placing of a secondary lining within an existing borehole. A borehole requires relining when the integrity of the original lining is compromised. Over time, steel casing can corrode to a point where detritus and alluvium together with gravel packing are no longer retained and make their way into the borehole. Sometimes a borehole which hasn’t been cased throughout can spring a leak through fractured or linings that haven’t seated properly.
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