Garden Bore Installation and Repairs WA 2026 - Get Quotes

What a Garden Bore Actually Is

A garden bore is a lined hole drilled down to groundwater with a pump on it, and on the Swan Coastal Plain that groundwater is usually much closer to the surface than people expect. The superficial aquifer sits beneath most of metropolitan Perth, recharged by winter rainfall soaking through sand that holds almost nothing back, and in many suburbs it can be reached within ten to thirty metres. That accessibility is why bores are so ordinary here and so rare in Sydney or Melbourne. It is also why the trade that drills them is a specialist one with its own equipment, and not something a landscaper adds on. Drillers, pump technicians and retic installers are three separate trades here, and a well run job usually involves at least two of them. Knowing who is responsible for what avoids the finger pointing that follows when a system underperforms.

The components are simple enough to describe. A casing lines the hole to stop it collapsing, a screen or slotted section at the bottom lets water in while keeping sand out, a pump lifts the water, a pressure tank and switch keep the system pressurised between uses, and pipework runs from the bore head to wherever the water is needed. Most domestic bores in Perth feed a reticulation system and nothing else. The irrigation and garden watering systems page covers the garden side of that arrangement.

What owners often misunderstand is how much the bore itself matters compared with the pump. A pump can be replaced in a morning, while the hole in the ground determines how much water is available in the first place, how much sand comes with it and how long the whole arrangement will last. A well constructed bore with proper casing and an appropriately sized screen will deliver for decades. A cheaply drilled one with the wrong screen slot size will pump sand, wear out pumps early and silt up within a few years. The difference in price between the two at the time of drilling is far smaller than the difference in cost over twenty years.

Bores are not only a Perth phenomenon, though the metropolitan area has the highest concentration of them. Through the Wheatbelt, the Mid West and parts of the South West, domestic and stock bores are a normal part of rural life, and groundwater conditions there differ enormously from the coastal plain. Depth, yield and water quality all change, and in some inland areas salinity, not iron, is the limiting factor. Advice that applies in Duncraig does not necessarily apply in Northam. Rural bores also tend to serve stock troughs, sheds and house gardens together, which changes the pump duty and the pipework considerably. Where a shed or workshop is being supplied as well, the shed and garage construction page covers how those buildings are usually serviced.

It is worth being clear about what a garden bore is not. It is not a drinking water supply, and domestic bore water in Perth is generally not treated or tested to the standard required for drinking. It is also not a way around the watering rules, since the sprinkler roster and the winter switch off apply to bores exactly as they apply to scheme water. Anyone selling a bore on the promise of unlimited watering is misrepresenting how the rules work. Nor is a bore a substitute for a well designed garden system, since a poorly zoned reticulation layout wastes bore water just as efficiently as it wastes scheme water.

The economic case is genuinely strong on the right property, which is why so many people take it up. A large lawn watered on scheme water represents a substantial share of an annual water bill, and shifting that load to a bore removes it. On a small courtyard garden the numbers rarely stack up, because the cost of drilling and equipping takes too long to recover. Working out which situation you are in is the first honest conversation to have. Measure the lawn and bed areas before you ring anyone, because that single figure drives the answer more than any other. A rough pace count is accurate enough for a first conversation.

Whether a Bore Suits Your Address

Groundwater is not evenly distributed and the first question is whether there is usable water under your block at a sensible depth. Across the coastal suburbs from Yanchep down through Joondalup, Stirling, Cockburn and Rockingham the superficial aquifer is generally shallow and productive, which is why bores are so common there. Move east toward the Darling Scarp and into the hills around Kalamunda, Mundaring and Roleystone and the picture changes completely, with fractured rock in place of sand and far less predictable yields. A driller who works your area will know before they arrive which of those situations applies.

Lot size and garden area decide whether the investment makes sense. A property with several hundred square metres of lawn and established garden beds uses enough water that a bore pays for itself over a reasonable period. A small survey strata lot with a courtyard and a few pots does not, and the sensible answer there is to stay on scheme water and spend the money on better irrigation and garden watering systems instead. Ask a driller to be honest about this, and most will be. Reputable operators turn down work on small lots regularly, because an unhappy customer who never recovers the outlay is worth less than a referral. If the honest answer is that a bore is not worth it, the money is better spent on soil improvement and a properly zoned system, which the landscaping page covers.

Access for the drilling rig is a practical constraint people forget. A rig needs to physically reach the bore location, which means a gate wide enough, no low eaves or verandah in the way, and enough clear height for the mast. On a narrow infill block with a carport and a fence line two metres from the boundary, the options can be limited to one spot. It is worth walking the property with the driller before committing, since relocating a bore after the fact is not possible. Removing a section of fence for a day is a common and inexpensive solution where access is marginal, and the fence and gate installation page covers reinstatement.

Underground services have to be identified before drilling starts. Water, sewer, gas, power and telecommunications all run through suburban blocks, and hitting any of them is expensive and in some cases dangerous. Reputable drillers use a dial before you dig service and scan the area, and on properties where a sewer junction runs through the back yard the bore position may be constrained by it. This is standard practice, and a driller who skips it is cutting a corner that matters. Striking a water or sewer line is not a minor inconvenience, and repairs in that situation fall to the property owner far more often than people assume. Where a leak is already suspected somewhere on the property, water leak detection is worth arranging before any excavation starts.

Distance from the bore to where the water is needed affects cost more than owners expect. A bore at the back fence feeding a reticulation system at the front of the house needs a substantial run of pipe and a pump sized to overcome the friction loss along it. Putting the bore closer to the demand, where the site allows, reduces both the pipe cost and the pump duty. The best position is often a compromise between where the water is, where the rig can reach and where the pump noise will least annoy anyone.

Neighbouring bores are a useful source of information and most owners are happy to share. If the houses either side have bores, ask how deep they went, what they yield and whether they have had silting problems. Local knowledge at that granularity is more reliable than any general map, since aquifer conditions can vary within a single street. A driller who has worked nearby will often have records of their own from the same block. Bore completion records are also held by the state and can be searched, which is a useful check before committing to a depth estimate.

Licensing, Approvals and the Rules

Groundwater in Western Australia is regulated under the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914, which can be read through Western Australian Legislation. The framework distinguishes between constructing a well, which is the legal term for a bore, and taking water from it, and the two can carry separate requirements. Whether either applies to your property depends on where it is, since the state is divided into proclaimed groundwater areas with their own arrangements. This is the single most common area of confusion and one phone call clears it up. The answer takes one phone call and it removes any doubt before money is spent. Keep a note of who you spoke to and when.

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation is the agency that administers those requirements and the right place to direct a question about a specific address. In much of the Perth metropolitan area, domestic garden bores on residential lots are treated differently from commercial or irrigation takes, and the practical obligations on a householder are usually modest. What matters is establishing what applies at your address before drilling, since afterwards the money is spent. Any experienced WA driller raises this as a matter of course.

Local government adds a second layer that catches people out. Some councils require notification or approval for a bore, some have rules about where a bore head or pump may sit relative to boundaries, and noise from pump operation is a local government matter under environmental protection noise regulations. On a narrow block where the pump would sit two metres from a neighbour's bedroom window, that is worth resolving before installation, well ahead of the first complaint. A pump housing or an acoustic enclosure solves most of these situations, and it costs far less than a dispute. Raising it with the neighbour beforehand also tends to defuse the issue entirely.

Bore drillers themselves operate under licensing arrangements in Western Australia, and using a licensed driller matters for more than compliance. A licensed operator is required to construct the bore to the relevant standards and to provide the bore completion details, which record depth, casing, screen and water levels. That record is the document you will want when a pump needs replacing in twelve years, because it tells the next contractor exactly what they are dealing with. Ask for it on completion and keep it with your property papers.

Electrical work on a bore installation is licensed work in its own right. Running a circuit to the bore head, installing an isolating switch, wiring a submersible pump and connecting a controller all require a licensed electrician, and Building and Energy regulates electrical safety and licensing in Western Australia. Outdoor electrical work near water needs appropriate protection and weatherproof enclosures. Where a new circuit is needed from the switchboard, the electrical services page covers what that involves. Older Perth switchboards sometimes need upgrading before another outdoor circuit can be added, which is worth establishing early, not on installation day.

Contaminated groundwater is a real consideration in a limited number of Perth areas and deserves a check. Where historical industry, landfill or fuel storage has affected the aquifer, the advice may be to avoid using bore water on edible gardens or in some cases at all. The Department of Health publishes guidance on private water supplies and on using bore water safely around the home. A simple water test before committing to a bore costs very little relative to the drilling.

Drilling and Equipping

The drilling itself is usually the fastest part of the whole process. On a typical sandy Perth block a domestic bore is drilled, cased and screened within a day, often within a few hours, using a small rig that fits through a standard side gate. The hole is advanced to the target depth, casing is installed with a screened section positioned across the water bearing sand, and a gravel pack is placed around the screen where the ground conditions call for it. Owners expecting a week of disruption are generally surprised. There is mud and spoil to deal with, and a sensible contractor discusses beforehand where that will go and who removes it.

Development is the step that separates a bore that performs from one that never quite does. After drilling, the bore is surged and pumped to draw fine material out of the formation around the screen, which opens up the pathways water travels through and settles the gravel pack. A bore that is not properly developed will pump sand into the pump and the reticulation for years, wearing out solenoids and nozzles as it goes. Ask how long the bore will be developed for, because cutting that stage short is the easiest corner to cut. A properly developed bore runs clear within a short period, while an under developed one keeps producing fines for months.

Screen selection is equally important and less visible. The slot size in the screen has to suit the grain size of the sand at that depth, since a slot that is too large lets sand through continuously and one that is too small restricts flow. Good drillers select on the basis of what they encounter as they drill, and a standard screen everywhere is a sign of a rushed job. This is one of the genuine differences between an experienced operator and a cheap one, and it does not show up until the system has been running a season.

Once the bore is complete, a yield test tells you what you actually have. Pumping at a measured rate while monitoring drawdown shows how much water the bore will sustain, which is the figure that determines pump sizing and how many reticulation stations can run at once. A bore that yields well at first but draws down sharply cannot support a large system regardless of what pump is fitted. This test should form part of the completion paperwork, not just be described verbally. A written yield figure is also what a pump supplier needs in order to size equipment correctly. Without it they are estimating, and the estimate tends to err upward.

The bore head arrangement matters for maintenance more than performance. A properly finished bore head sits above ground level or in a secure chamber, is sealed against surface water entering the casing, and is accessible enough that a pump can be pulled without excavating. Bores finished flush with a lawn and then turfed over become genuinely difficult to service, and locating them years later can take an afternoon. Ask to see how the head will be finished before the crew leaves. Where the surrounding area is being paved or landscaped afterwards, make sure whoever is doing that work knows the head must stay accessible, and the paving and driveway installation page covers how levels are usually set.

Timing a new bore around the seasons is worth considering. Drillers are busiest from late winter into spring as households prepare for summer, so lead times stretch considerably from August onwards. Having a bore drilled and equipped in autumn means it is tested and running well before it is needed, and it often attracts a better price in a quieter period. It also means any development or silting issues surface while there is time to address them. Nobody wants to discover a bore problem in the second week of January. That is precisely when every contractor in Perth is already committed.

Pumps, Tanks and Power

Pump selection follows from two numbers, the flow the garden needs and the head the pump must overcome. Head includes the vertical lift from the water level to the surface, the height of the highest sprinkler, and the friction loss through the pipework, and underestimating any of those produces a system where the sprinklers barely lift. A properly sized pump is matched to the largest reticulation station rather than to the whole system, since stations run one at a time. Getting this right is why a retic designer and a pump supplier should be talking to each other. An oversized pump is as much a problem as an undersized one, because excess pressure breaks joiners and wears heads, and the irrigation and garden watering systems page explains how station demand is calculated.

Submersible pumps sit down in the bore and are the usual choice where water levels are deeper or where noise matters. They are quiet because the motor is underground, they never lose prime, and they handle a greater lift than a surface pump can. The trade off arrives at service time, since accessing one means pulling it and its rising main out of the bore, which is a two person job with specific equipment. Brands widely used in Western Australia include Grundfos, Davey, Onga, Lowara and Franklin Electric.

Jet pumps and surface mounted pumps sit at the bore head and suit shallower water. They cost less to buy and are far easier to service because everything is at ground level, but they are limited by suction lift, they need to hold prime, and they are noticeably noisier than a submersible. On a block where the pump sits near a neighbour's outdoor living area, that noise is a real consideration and an enclosure is often worth the cost. Many Perth bores run perfectly well on a surface pump where the water table is high. The choice is usually made on the measured standing water level, so preference does not come into it. Where the level is marginal, a submersible removes the risk of losing prime as the season progresses.

Pressure tanks and pressure switches are the components that most often fail without anyone understanding why. A pressure tank holds a cushion of air behind a bladder so the pump does not start every time a small amount of water is drawn, and when the bladder fails or the air charge is lost the pump cycles rapidly and burns out. Rapid cycling is the classic symptom and it is cheap to diagnose. Replacing a tank costs a fraction of replacing the pump it protects. Checking the air charge annually takes a few minutes with a tyre gauge and is easily the best value maintenance task on the whole installation.

Electrical supply to the bore needs a proper circuit, and an extension lead is not one. A dedicated weatherproof circuit with residual current protection, an isolating switch at the bore and appropriate enclosures is the standard arrangement, and all of it is licensed electrical work. Running a bore pump from a power board through an open window is both unsafe and common enough to be worth warning about. Where the switchboard needs attention before a new circuit can be added, an electrical safety inspection is the sensible first step. Outdoor circuits in coastal suburbs also suffer from salt corrosion, so enclosure quality is worth paying for.

Variable speed drives have become more common on domestic bores and are worth asking about on larger systems. A variable speed pump adjusts its output to hold constant pressure rather than switching hard on and off, which is gentler on the pump, quieter, and avoids the pressure surges that break joiners in reticulation pipework. They cost more upfront and the electronics are another component that can fail. On a straightforward suburban bore with three or four stations, a conventional pump and pressure tank remains the sensible choice.

Iron, Staining and Water Quality

Perth groundwater commonly carries dissolved iron, and the orange staining it leaves is the most visible drawback of bore water. While the water is underground the iron stays in solution, but the moment it meets air at a sprinkler head it oxidises and deposits, which is why the staining appears on the first surfaces the spray reaches. Limestone walls, white paving, rendered fences, Colorbond and the light coloured brickwork common across the northern suburbs all show it clearly. It is a cosmetic problem, not a health one, but it is a persistent one. It is also the single most common complaint from households new to bore water, largely because nobody warned them. Raising it before installation is simply good practice.

The cheapest and most effective control is simply keeping the water off hard surfaces. Head placement, nozzle arc adjustment and choosing heads with lower trajectory all reduce how much bore water lands on paving, walls and fences, and it costs nothing at design stage. Retrofitting the same discipline to an existing system is largely a matter of adjustment and nozzle swaps. It is the first thing to try before spending money on treatment, and on many properties it reduces the problem enough that nothing further is needed.

Iron treatment systems are the next step where staining is severe. Aeration and filtration arrangements oxidise the iron deliberately and trap it before the water reaches the garden, and the better systems are effective. They require space at the bore head, regular backwashing or media replacement, and their own servicing, so they are an ongoing commitment, not a one off purchase. Costs vary widely with the iron concentration and the flow rate the system has to handle, which is why a water test comes before a quote. Expect ongoing consumables as part of the running cost.

Where staining is already established, removing it is a separate job with its own methods. Proprietary iron and rust removers formulated for masonry work far better than general purpose cleaners, and sealing the surface afterwards slows re-staining considerably. Pressure cleaning alone usually lightens rather than removes it, and on soft limestone excessive pressure damages the stone. The concrete and paver cleaning page covers the methods for treating and sealing affected surfaces. Limestone walls stain particularly readily because the stone is porous, which is worth bearing in mind on properties with limestone retaining walls near the garden.

Water quality beyond iron is worth understanding on any new bore. Salinity, hardness and nutrient content all affect what the water suits, and in some areas a bore that is fine for lawn is unsuitable for salt sensitive plants. Inland and in parts of the Wheatbelt salinity is the dominant issue rather than iron, and it can rule out a bore for garden use entirely. A basic laboratory test gives you the numbers, and any driller can point you to a testing service.

For anyone growing vegetables, a little caution is sensible and nobody should call it alarmist. Bore water is not treated drinking water and the Department of Health publishes advice on its use around the home, including on edible gardens and on avoiding spray contact with people. Watering vegetable beds by drip rather than by overhead spray reduces contact and also wastes less water. Where a property sits near a known contaminated site, testing before use is the right approach. The same caution applies to filling a swimming pool from a bore, which the pool installation page touches on.

Faults, Repairs and Maintenance

Most bore call outs in Perth trace back to a handful of problems, and describing the symptom accurately helps enormously when you ring. No water at all usually means a pump, a power supply or a pressure switch. Water that starts then fades suggests the bore is drawing down faster than it recovers. Pressure that surges and drops repeatedly points to a pressure tank. Sand in the reticulation or grit in the filters points to the bore screen or to development that was never completed properly. Describing which of those you are seeing on the phone often saves a diagnostic visit. A short video of the symptom helps even more.

Loss of yield over years is the classic ageing bore problem and it happens gradually enough that nobody notices until a station will not run. Fine material builds up in the formation around the screen and progressively restricts the flow paths, and in some cases iron bacteria contribute to the clogging. The remedy is redevelopment, where the bore is surged, brushed and pumped to clear the screen and the surrounding sand. It costs far less than a new bore and works well where the casing itself remains sound.

Pump failures follow predictable causes and most are avoidable. Running dry when the water level drops below the intake, rapid cycling from a failed pressure tank, and sand abrasion from an under developed bore account for the majority. A pump that has burnt out for one of those reasons will burn out again if the underlying cause is not addressed, which is why a straight swap without diagnosis is a false economy. Ask what caused the failure before agreeing to a replacement. A contractor who can point to the cause is far more likely to have fixed it as well.

Air locks and priming problems affect surface pumps in particular and are often mistaken for something more serious. A jet pump that has lost prime will run without delivering, and the cause is usually a leak on the suction side, a failed foot valve or a water level that has dropped below suction range as the season progresses. These are cheap fixes once identified. A technician who checks the obvious before recommending a new pump is worth keeping. Priming faults in particular look alarming and are usually trivial. A foot valve is a modest part with a large effect.

Annual servicing is straightforward and cheap relative to what it prevents. Checking the pressure tank charge, cleaning filters, testing the pressure switch, inspecting the bore head seal and running a flow check will catch most developing problems before they strand you in January. The natural time to do it is alongside the spring recommissioning of the reticulation, since the same visit can cover both. Households that service annually replace pumps far less often than those that do not.

There comes a point where a bore is finished and honesty about it saves money. A collapsed or corroded casing, a screen that cannot be cleared by redevelopment, or a water level that has fallen permanently below the bore depth all mean the hole itself has reached the end of its life. At that stage the options are redrilling or returning the garden to scheme water, and the right answer depends on garden size and how much water it needs. A contractor who explains that clearly, rather than selling another pump, is giving you good advice. Decommissioning an abandoned bore properly also matters, since an open casing is both a safety hazard and a route for surface contamination into the aquifer.

Costs in Detail

A site assessment and flow test on an existing bore typically runs $180 to $450, covering the visit, a measured flow and pressure check and a diagnosis. This is the right starting point where an existing bore has lost performance, because it distinguishes between a pump problem, a pressure tank problem and a bore problem. Those three are fixed by different work at very different prices. Paying for the test avoids paying for the wrong repair, and most contractors will credit it against the work if you proceed.

A new bore drilled and equipped for a typical Perth residential block commonly runs $4,800 to $11,500 in 2026. That figure covers drilling, casing, screen, development, a pump and pressure tank, the bore head and the electrical connection, and the spread reflects depth, ground conditions and pump duty. Drilling is often quoted as a rate per metre plus a fixed equipping cost, which is the clearest way to present it. Hills properties in fractured rock sit well above that range where a bore is viable at all. Regional properties also carry mobilisation costs that metropolitan jobs do not.

Pump work is the most common ongoing expense. A submersible pump supplied and installed runs $1,400 to $3,600 depending on duty and depth, while a surface or jet pump is generally less. Pressure tanks run $420 to $980 fitted, and a pressure switch or controller $180 to $520. Pulling and refitting a submersible to inspect it carries a labour cost of its own, which is part of why deeper installations cost more to maintain. That labour is worth asking about before choosing between pump types, since it recurs every time the pump needs attention.

Redevelopment sits at $900 to $2,600 and is the best value repair available on an ageing bore that has lost yield. Where it succeeds it restores flow for a fraction of the cost of a new bore, and where it does not the contractor will usually be able to tell you why. Iron filtration systems run $1,800 to $5,500 installed, driven by iron concentration and the flow rate the system must handle. Add servicing for the filtration system itself when comparing that against the cost of periodically cleaning stained paving.

Annual servicing costs $180 to $420 and is the cheapest line on this page by a wide margin. Booking it alongside the spring reticulation service means one visit instead of two and usually a better combined price. Households that skip it for years generally meet the consequences in the first hot week of summer, when every bore contractor in Perth is already committed. Booking in winter avoids that entirely, and lead times in June and July are a fraction of what they are in October.

Regional pricing reflects travel and rig mobilisation more than anything else. Drillers servicing Bunbury, Busselton, Albany, Geraldton and the Wheatbelt price within their own areas, but mobilising a rig to a remote property carries a real cost that is quoted separately. Neighbouring properties arranging bores in the same week is common practice and shares that mobilisation. It is worth asking whether a driller has other work booked in your district. Timing a job to coincide can make a meaningful difference on a regional property. Mobilisation is often the largest single line on a country quote.

What to Look Out For

Be cautious of a firm all inclusive price for a new bore quoted without a site visit. Depth to water, ground conditions and yield vary street by street across Perth, so a fixed figure either carries a large contingency or will be revised once drilling starts. The honest structure is a rate per metre plus a defined equipping cost, with the likely depth range explained. Ask what happens to the price if the bore needs to go deeper than expected.

Watch for a quote that skips development. Surging and pumping the bore after drilling is what stops it delivering sand for the next decade, and it is the easiest stage to shorten because nobody watching can tell. A bore that pumps sand destroys pump impellers, blocks nozzles and wears out solenoids continuously. Ask how long development will run and whether the yield test results will be provided in writing.

Be careful about a pump replacement offered without a diagnosis. Pumps fail for reasons, usually running dry, rapid cycling from a failed pressure tank, or sand abrasion, and a replacement fitted without addressing the cause will fail the same way. A contractor who checks the pressure tank charge and the water level before quoting a pump is doing the job properly. One who arrives with a pump already on the ute may have decided the outcome in advance. Asking what test led to the diagnosis is a fair and easily answered question. A technician who has done the test will answer it immediately.

Check who is doing the electrical work and whether they hold a licence. Wiring a bore pump, installing an isolator and running a weatherproof outdoor circuit are all licensed electrical work in Western Australia, and a driller who offers to handle it themselves without an electrician is doing something they should not. Licences can be checked quickly and a legitimate operator will provide the number without hesitation. The same applies to anyone proposing to run a pump from an extension lead as a permanent arrangement, which is a genuine safety issue and not a technicality. Where existing outdoor wiring looks doubtful, an emergency electrician can make it safe quickly.

Finally, be wary of anyone who tells you a bore lets you water outside the roster. The sprinkler roster, the daytime ban and the winter switch off apply to bore water in Perth exactly as they apply to scheme water, and penalties apply for watering outside them. A salesperson who does not know that either has not worked in Western Australia or is prepared to tell you what you want to hear. Either way, treat the rest of their advice about yield, pump sizing and running costs with the same caution. Consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law, overseen by the ACCC, apply to bore work as they do to any trade service, so get the scope and the claims in writing.

How to Get Comparable Quotes

Start by establishing what you actually need. For a new bore, that means the garden area you intend to water, the number of reticulation stations it will feed, where the rig can access, and whether neighbours have bores and at what depth. For an existing bore, it means a clear description of the symptom, the age of the pump if you know it, and whether the bore completion paperwork exists. Contractors quoting from that information give prices you can compare, instead of prices padded for uncertainty. It also shortens the site visit, which is appreciated in the spring rush.

Then ask everyone the same questions in writing. Drilling rate per metre and expected depth range, casing and screen specification, how long development will run, whether a yield test and completion report are provided, pump make, model and duty, pressure tank size, who does the electrical work and their licence number, what the warranty covers on the bore and separately on the pump, and what an annual service costs afterwards. Those answers are what turn three numbers into a genuine comparison.

Compare the specifications before the totals. A cheaper quote that fits a smaller pump, shortens development or omits the yield test is not a better deal, it is a different bore. Ask the lower priced contractor to explain the difference and the answer is usually informative. Bores are one of the clearest cases where the cheapest quote on the day costs the most over fifteen years. Construction standards for water bores are covered by national guidance, and Standards Australia publishes the relevant material.

Keep the paperwork somewhere you will find it again. The bore completion report showing depth, casing, screen position and standing water level, the yield test results, the pump make and model with its duty point, meaning the flow and pressure it was selected to deliver, the electrical certificate, and the date of each service all belong in one file. When a pump fails in a decade, that file saves the next contractor an hour of guesswork and saves you the cost of it. Photographs of the bore head before it is landscaped around are worth taking too, along with a note of the distance from two fixed points so it can be found again.

A well constructed bore, properly developed and sensibly maintained, will water a Perth garden for decades on very little beyond electricity. What decides that outcome is the quality of the hole and the honesty of the assessment before drilling, not the brand on the pump. Spending the time on those two things is the most useful thing a household can do before committing.