Water Borehole VS Mains Water
When you’re trying to figure out the best water supply, it’s really important to know the difference between mains water and having a water borehole. If sustainability, reliability, and saving money are your main priorities, then water boreholes are definitely the way to go.
What is Mains Water?
A mains water supply connects your home to the public water supply system, through a series of pipes called water mains. The mains water comes from a public water treatment plant, where it is treated with chemicals to make it safe for consumption (such as chlorine).
What is a Water Borehole?
A borehole water supply involves a narrow diameter hole being drilled into the ground in order to supply you with your very own private water supply. The water is intercepted from the flow through fissures in the rock. The ground naturally filters the water, and we test the water quality to ensure that it is safe to drink. In most cases, the borehole water supply is safe to consume and generally free of the chemicals used in public water treatment, but may occasionally need special treatments in some cases.
A Cost Comparison: Install & Ongoing Expenses
Mains Water
The use of a mains water supply involves a high level of perpetual and ongoing costs, often at ever-increasing rates. The lack of upfront costs makes mains water a lot more accessible to most households. However, the bills and expenditure can rack up quickly, especially with increasing rates. Water UK reports that recent investments to UK water supplies means that the average household bill for 2026-2027 will be £639, a 5.4% increase on the previous year. That’s 2% higher than the most recent inflation figure!
Water Boreholes
A great benefit to a borehole water supply is their cost effectiveness once installed. Although initial installation prices are on the higher end, ongoing costs post-installation are very minimal.
Having your own water source means no more bills to external mains water companies, as your borehole water supply will become free from mains water fees. You’ll only need to pay for the electricity to run the pump, and occasional maintenance and water quality testing to keep things running at their best. Water boreholes are therefore especially beneficial for properties with a high level of water usage, such as farms, campsites or larger households in terms of cost. However, they are also a much more reliable water source for people with smaller properties who are looking for peace of mind and stability.
Environmental Impact and Sustainability
A water borehole is a fantastic choice when it comes to finding a much more sustainable and environmentally friendly option than using mains water. Unfortunately, mains water supplies often have to pump water across long distances, often directly from reservoirs and rivers. This is environmentally taxing, due to the need for the installation of much longer and more extensive water mains pipes. The carbon footprint associated with mains water is also significant, due to the large amounts of energy required to pump and treat the water.
Water boreholes, on the other hand, are installed in your property, and therefore much less environmentally disruptive with many positive environmental effects. They also do not affect surface water environments, unlike mains water supplies, which can disrupt ecosystems. In terms of sustainability, the natural filtering of water through the ground makes the purification process much less strenuous, and therefore reduces your carbon footprint in comparison to the much more demanding purification processes of mains water.
The Environment Agency (England), Natural Resources Wales, and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency also ensure that those whose water boreholes extract more than 20,000 litres of water per day adhere to abstraction licenses, in order to protect water resources.
Reliability and Supply
Due to their reliance on reservoirs and rivers, mains water users are more vulnerable to drought effects. Underground aquifers, which a borehole water supply will use, are much more reliable stores of water during droughts. One benefit of mains water supply is that if anything goes wrong, it is the responsibility of the water company to fix, which is more budget friendly.
Water boreholes are generally regarded as being highly reliable water sources, especially when installed to the high standards that we offer. As with any piece of equipment, water boreholes do require maintenance and servicing, of which we recommend take place annually in order to maximise reliability and eradicate any potential issues before they occur. This is the responsibility of the borehole owner, but we offer a special maintenance service to make this process much easier for you.
Due to their private nature, properties relying on water boreholes are not affected by issues with mains water supplies, such as planned works that disrupt the supply. This can provide particular assurance for those living in rural areas with limited access to water, who would be especially affected if they were using a mains water supply.
Overall, there are a number of factors to consider regarding both types of water supply, but if you’re in the market for a cost-effective, more sustainable option, then definitely consider a water borehole. If you’re looking to learn more about water borehole drilling, the Dragon Drilling team are always happy to help! We offer bespoke plans and packages to suit your needs, please contact us to discuss your options.