Water Manager
Bores
Flow Testing
Why you should flow test your bore
Take the mystery out of your bore's production with flow testing to know your exact bore performance. At BD Water, we complete constant rate or step tests to give you a clear picture of how well your bore is performing and how much water you can expect to draw from it.
Flow testing is essential to measure the volume of water your bore can produce. Without testing, it’s impossible to know how confidently much water you can abstract, whether the bore can sustain your irrigation needs, or if adjustments are required to optimise performance. Whether you’re watering crops, keeping livestock hydrated, or providing water for public open spaces, knowing the exact capacity of your bore is critical.
Flow testing is essential to measure the volume of water your bore can produce. Without testing, it’s impossible to know how confidently much water you can abstract, whether the bore can sustain your irrigation needs, or if adjustments are required to optimise performance. Whether you’re watering crops, keeping livestock hydrated, or providing water for public open spaces, knowing the exact capacity of your bore is critical.
Call Now: 1300 239 283
A straightforward but thorough
flow testing process
Installing a test pump
A submersible bore test pump is temporarily installed in the bore to draw water at a controlled rate.The pump is selected from one of our reliable test pumps range and based on the bore specs, a suitable size and model is picked.
Using one of our test pumps allows us to measure how much water the bore is producing at various flow rates from a reliable pump.
Using one of our test pumps allows us to measure how much water the bore is producing at various flow rates from a reliable pump.
Monitoring and recording water flow
While the water is pumped, we monitor the water flow and water levels in the bore.
We record data on the flow rate and water levels over time. This information is critical for determining the overall capacity of your bore, whether it’s capable of meeting your water needs and ensuring that the aquifer is recharging quickly enough to meet the abstraction rate.
We record data on the flow rate and water levels over time. This information is critical for determining the overall capacity of your bore, whether it’s capable of meeting your water needs and ensuring that the aquifer is recharging quickly enough to meet the abstraction rate.
Analysis and reporting
Once the flow test is complete, we analyse the data to determine the bore’s sustainable yield. This tells us how much water can be pumped continuously without over-drawing from the aquifer, preventing damage to the bore or long-term depletion.
A flow test report is created with the results of each stage of testing, and thus a target flow rate and pump can be recommended.
A flow test report is created with the results of each stage of testing, and thus a target flow rate and pump can be recommended.
Future proofing your bore with a flow test
A flow test helps identify issues early on. Catching these problems early allows us to address them quickly, saving you time, money, and frustration.
If there are issues, such as low yield or excessive drawdown, this could indicate an obstruction, a problem with the aquifer, or issues with the pump system. In this case, we can explore solutions, including adjusting the pump, further bore development, or even re-drilling if necessary.
If the bore’s yield and flow rate are sufficient, the flow test helps us recommend the best pump and irrigation setup to maximise efficiency.
If the bore’s yield and flow rate are sufficient, the flow test helps us recommend the best pump and irrigation setup to maximise efficiency.
At BD Water, we also ensure that your bore complies with local regulations regarding water abstraction, especially for properties with water licences. Flow testing helps ensure that your bore meets these requirements, avoiding potential fines or legal issues down the line.
Call Now: 1300 239 283
What does flow testing tell you?
The results of a flow test give you valuable information about your bore’s performance, including:
Sustainable Yield
This is the maximum volume of water per year you can pump from the bore without depleting the aquifer or reducing water levels too quickly. It’s a key figure for planning your water usage, number of bores on the property, and if alternative water sources are required.
Flow Rate
The flow rate indicates how fast water can be pumped from the bore, generally measured in litres per minute (L/min). This determines whether the bore can supply water fast enough to meet your needs or if adjustments to the system, such as more bores or tanks, are required.
Drawdown
The drawdown is the lowering of the water level in the bore as water is pumped out. If the water level drops too much, too quickly, it can indicate a problem with the aquifer’s ability to recharge, which could affect long-term water availability on your bore and the general environment.
Our Customers
What our clients and drillers say about us.
BD Water strives to build relationships that last. And what our people say about us means a lot.
We make water simple, and we do that from the first supplier to the final consumer.
Sallyann Bailey
Director, Nateis Contracting
David Saunders
Operations Manager, Purely Commercials
Should you flow test your bore?
Flow testing is a critical process for bores, providing you with information to make the most of your water supply.
By understanding how much water your bore can produce and at what rate, you can plan your water usage more effectively, avoiding over-extraction that could damage the aquifer or your equipment.
By understanding how much water your bore can produce and at what rate, you can plan your water usage more effectively, avoiding over-extraction that could damage the aquifer or your equipment.
At BD Water, we use state-of-the-art equipment and proven techniques to accurately measure your bore’s performance, ensuring that you have a reliable and sustainable water source for the long term.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help optimize your bore’s performance through flow testing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I maintain my bore during the winter sprinkler ban?
Leaving your pump and bore inactive over the entirety of winter is a hazardous corrosion risk, particularly where ones water supply is high in salts or iron.
As per Department of Water and Environmental Regulation guidelines, included below, it is legal to run your bore for one of your allotted watering days for a maximum station run time of 2 minutes. This is vital to keeping your pump and equipment in serviceable condition.
“The maintenance of garden bores is important and under the legislation a person does not commit an offence if the person operates a reticulation system, using domestic bore water to the minimum extent necessary while the reticulation system is being installed, maintained, tested or repaired.
We deem the ‘minimum extent necessary’ to be no more than two minutes per station. Running your reticulation longer than this may be deemed as watering your garden.
We recommend you carry out work on your sprinkler roster days, either before 9am or after 6pm.”
How deep do you have to drill?
Depths can vary greatly depending on the area and target groundwater formation. As a general guideline:
- In residential and flat areas, Superficial Mud drilling is about 20 – 50 metres. We drill past the water table and into water-producing sands for better water flow and consistency throughout the year.
- In the Perth Hills and inland, Superficial Granite drilling can go anywhere within 30 – 100 metres and beyond. We are targeting a fracture in the rocks underground, and depths can vary greatly.
- For Confined Aquifers, the target area can be within the range of 60 – 300 metres, the exact depth will depend on the area the property is in.
If your area is mapped by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, you can get a guide for what depth you should expect for the superficial aquifer. The water maps aren’t always correct – we’ll be happy to give you insights into drilling in your are that we gather from our drilling jobs in your area.
We can give you an estimate of the expected depth for your bore. Contact us today to discuss your bore.
What is an Aquifer?
An aquifer is a body of water below the ground that is made of permeable rock, soil or clay that enables water to flow through it. Aquifers are generally referred to as confined and unconfined.
- Unconfined Aquifers (eg. Superficial) are naturally able to transfer water with the environment around it, such as a river, lake or the ground surface above. These are generally closer to the surface. Due to the unconfined nature, these aquifers are readily accessed and can vary greatly in production quantity and quality.
- Confined Aquifers (eg. Mirrabooka & Leederville) are separated and contained to a ground layer and area. These can still be extremely large, however, they are naturally sealed from other aquifers and environments, generally via an impermeable layer of clay, and should not blend with other aquifers. These bodies of water can still be accessed via a bore, although it is vital that they are sealed off during the drilling. As these bodies are enclosed, they can often produce very consistent production quantity and quality, usually at higher bore drilling costs, due to the depths and construction specifications required.
Does bore water need to be treated?
It may need to. Particularly if you are concerned with water quality, the first step in determining if treatment is needed is to conduct water quality testing. Once the test results are in, you can compare them with your required water quality indicators, and check if you need to treat it.
Generally, bore water doesn’t need to be treated it if it’s odourless, colourless, the pH tests greater than 5. If you have specific quality requirements for your water use, we can assess the filtration options you may need, and provide recommendations.
Bore water is not recommended for drinking water. If you do want to consume it, it’s important to test and chlorinate it properly. For more information about drinking from the water bores in Perth, consult the official drinking water guidelines.
What type of maintenance will I have to carry out on my bore?
The most important factor is that the bore construction is handled properly. Maintenance costs can be significantly reduced if the construction of the bore is done right in the first place. This is why we don’t compromise on the quality of our bore drilling and development services. The model and size of pump also affect the health of the bore, so they need to be carefully selected and tailored to the bore and irrigation needs.
Once the bore is installed, you should complete your flow testing and water quality testing to check the bore’s initial and likely optimal performance. Bores can improve over time, but if properly developed, the initial testing should be the highest quality and flow the bore can produce. This can then be used as a benchmark to measure the bore performance over time.
While the bore is operating, you should keep an eye out for signs of damage or corrosion, particularly when turning the bore back on for summer.