Know Your Bore
Rural residents and pastoralists rely on bore water for their lifestyle and operations. Helping them understand more about their bore and the water they use will support their continued access to the water they need to live, work and run their property. A series of Know Your Bore factsheets that are easy to understand and simple to use have been created, to help rural property owners and pastoralists care for their bores and keep their bore working, including:
- How to keep you bore in good working condition
- How to monitor and test your water for safety
- Permits, approvals and what’s required
- What you need to know to build a bore
Check it, fix it, protect it – How to keep your bore in good working condition
Bores and pumps can stop working if they’re not looked after properly. Often, small problems are missed until it’s too late. Fixing a damaged or neglected bore can costs as much as drilling a brand new one.
Learn how to maintain your bore by reading this factsheet PDF (245.7 KB).
To find out more about bore works and maintenance, go to Northern Territory Government website.
What’s in your water – How to test your bore water for safety
If you use your bore for drinking, washing, or running your business, it’s important to test it regularly.
Regular testing helps make sure your water is safe and can alert you to problems before they become serious. If you own a private bore, you’re responsible for making sure the water is safe to use. Checking your water is one of the best ways to protect your health, your property, and your livelihood. Here’s everything you need to know to help you test your water in this guide PDF (231.4 KB).
To learn more about where and how to get your bore water tested, go to Northern Territory Government website.
If you want to find out more about water quality and safety, go to NT Health website.
Before you build it – Permits, approvals and what’s required
Are you planning to drill, repair or decommission a bore? In many cases, you’ll need a bore work permit before starting any work.
To help, we’ve put together all the info you need in this guide PDF (269.4 KB).
Find the bore work permit on the Northern Territory Government website.
So you can build it to spec – What you need to know to build a bore
If you’re planning to build a bore, it’s important to understand how bores work, what materials and equipment you need, and where the best place is to put one. A well-built bore works better for longer and protects the groundwater it draws from. For more information, see our guide PDF (263.8 KB).
Get All Our Bore Resources in One Place
You can download all our factsheets and guide about bore care, maintenance, testing, permits, and more right here:
Factsheet Maintenance - Know Your Bore PDF (245.7 KB)
Factsheet Testing - Know Your Bore PDF (231.4 KB)
Factsheet Permits - Know Your Bore PDF (269.4 KB)
Factsheet Construction - Know Your Bore PDF (263.8 KB)
For more information, go to the following links:
- Maintaining your bore: Looking after a bore | NT.GOV.AU
- Testing your water: Test your bore water | NT.GOV.AU
- Water quality: Environmental health - Public Health | NT Health
- Permits and approvals: Bore work permit | NT.GOV.AU
- Bore construction: Where to put a bore | NT.GOV.AU.