Can I Drill a Borehole in My Garden? UK Rules, Costs and What to Test
Updated: 1 day ago
Last reviewed: September 2026
Quick answer Can I drill a borehole in my garden? In many UK gardens, yes. For a typical home borehole taking less than 20 m³ (20,000 litres) a day in England or Wales, you don't need an abstraction licence. In Scotland the equivalent threshold is 10 m³ a day. If the borehole will be 15 m deep or more (most are), you must notify the British Geological Survey before drilling. Expect to pay roughly £10,000–£16,000 for a 60 m borehole with a pump. Whether it works depends on the rocks under your garden — so start with a survey, not a drilling rig. And if you'll drink the water, it becomes a private water supply that needs testing.
Already have a borehole? Screen it for bacteria between laboratory tests, especially after heavy rain or maintenance.
What is a borehole and how does it work?
A borehole is a narrow hole drilled down into an aquifer. It's lined with plastic or steel casing to stop it collapsing and to keep surface water out, with a slotted screen at the bottom where groundwater flows in. A submersible pump lifts the water to a pressure vessel at the surface. From there it goes to your garden taps — or, if you'll drink it, through treatment and into the house.
Step 1: Is there water under your garden?
Geology decides everything. A borehole needs to reach an aquifer — rock or sediment that holds and releases water, like chalk or sandstone. Some areas have plenty; others have clay or hard rock with very little.
A hydrogeologist's survey costs about £220–£1,000 and tells you the likely depth, yield and water quality before you spend thousands.
The British Geological Survey (BGS) sells reports for specific locations that summarise the rocks and nearby borehole records.
The Well Drillers Association puts the average domestic borehole at 40–75 m deep, depending on local ground conditions.
Step 2: Borehole regulations, licences and permission
Nation | Abstraction licence needed? | Notes |
England | Only if you take more than 20 m³ a day. Below that, no licence and no consent to drill and test-pump. | Environment Agency. Above 20 m³/day you also need consent to investigate a groundwater source before drilling. |
Wales | Same 20 m³/day threshold. | Natural Resources Wales. |
Scotland | No application to SEPA needed below 10 m³ a day. | SEPA, under the Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations (EASR), which replaced CAR from 1 November 2025. |
Northern Ireland | Different rules apply. | Check with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. |
For context, 20 m³ is 20,000 litres — far more than a household or garden normally uses in a day.
Notify the BGS. In England and Wales, the Water Resources Act 1991 requires you to notify the British Geological Survey before drilling any borehole 15 m or deeper, and to send them the records afterwards. Your driller normally handles this, but check.
Planning permission. Ask your local planning authority before you start, especially if the property is listed, in a conservation area, or if you're adding a pump house or other structure.
Step 3: How much does a borehole cost in the UK?
Item | Typical cost (2026) |
Hydrogeologist's survey | £220–£1,000 |
Borehole, lining, pump, chamber and pressure vessel (about 60 m) | £10,000–£15,000 |
Typical total for a 60 m borehole | about £10,220–£16,000 |
Water treatment (if drinking it) | Extra — depends on test results |
Water testing | Extra — ongoing |
Electricity for the pump, servicing | Ongoing |
Source: Checkatrade borehole cost guide, 2026. Prices vary with depth, access and geology — get several quotes and check whether water testing is included.
Step 4: Garden watering or drinking water?
This is the decision that changes everything.
Garden watering, toilets or washing cars only. Simpler. You still need to follow the licensing and BGS rules, but the water doesn't have to meet drinking water standards. Label any outdoor taps clearly as not for drinking.
Drinking, cooking or bathing. The borehole becomes a private water supply. You'll need:
a full laboratory analysis before first use (bacteria, nitrate, metals, pH and anything local geology suggests, such as arsenic),
treatment matched to the results — often UV for bacteria, plus filters for iron or manganese,
ongoing testing, at least yearly for bacteria and after heavy rain or maintenance, and
contact with your council, which regulates private supplies — and must do so if you let the property or run a business from it.
Does a hosepipe ban apply to a borehole?
Temporary use bans ("hosepipe bans") restrict mains water supplied by water companies. In August 2026, nine water companies had bans in force. Water from your own licensed or licence-exempt borehole isn't mains water, so a water company's ban doesn't cover it — but abstraction rules still apply, and in a drought your borehole's yield may drop too. That's part of why garden boreholes are getting more interest.
Checklist: before you drill a borehole in your garden
Check the geology (survey or BGS report).
Decide: garden use only, or drinking water too?
Confirm your daily use is under the licence threshold (20 m³ England/Wales, 10 m³ Scotland).
Ask the planning authority if anything above ground is involved.
Get at least three quotes from members of a recognised drilling association.
Check each quote covers BGS notification, test-pumping and a water test.
Budget for treatment and ongoing testing if you'll drink it.
Tell your council if it will be a drinking water supply.
Test your water
If you'll drink the water, plan for regular testing from day one.
SustainWater home tests are screening tools. If a result is unexpected, or a health, legal or money decision depends on it, confirm it with an accredited laboratory.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need permission to drill a borehole in my garden? You usually don't need an abstraction licence below 20 m³ a day in England and Wales (10 m³ in Scotland). You must notify the BGS for boreholes 15 m or deeper. Check planning with your council.
How deep does a garden borehole need to be? It depends on where the water is. The average domestic borehole is 40–75 m deep.
Is borehole water safe to drink straight away? No — not until it has been tested by a laboratory and, usually, treated. Many borehole waters are excellent, but you can't tell by looking.
Can I use a borehole to water the garden during a hosepipe ban? A water company's hosepipe ban applies to mains water, not your own borehole. Abstraction rules still apply.
How much does it cost to run a borehole? Mainly electricity for the pump, plus servicing, treatment consumables (for example UV lamps) and water testing.
Keep reading
Sources
Where to next?
Comments