Bores

A Bore Construction Licence is needed if you want to drill a new bore or alter an existing one to access groundwater for stock and domestic use. You can apply for this online at the Victorian Water Register.   

A Bore Construction Licence is also needed if you want to drill a new bore or alter an existing one to access groundwater for commercial farming or business activities. You will need to complete an application form through Southern Rural Water for this licence. 

Depending on your needs and location of the intended bore, the application process can be lengthy. We prefer our customers have no surprises during the application process and encourage anyone thinking of constructing a bore to talk to an assessment officer before you apply

Commercial use of groundwater includes irrigation, dairy shed water, mining, aquaculture, feedlots, piggeries, poultry farms, golf/sporting areas, guest accommodation, water bottling and snow making.  

In many cases, applications for Groundwater Licences must be advertised locally, including notifying neighbours, and submitted to relevant authorities for comment. 

In some areas in southern Victoria groundwater use is capped and the resource has been fully allocated – meaning no new licences can be issued. As an alternative, you can apply to trade a licenced volume from an existing licence holder within the same Groundwater Management or Water Supply Protection Area. 

Our groundwater trade room is open to licenced groundwater customers with an allocation bank account in southern Victoria. Go to our water trading page for more information. 

Your bore construction licence is only valid for 12 months after approval.  

If your bore is not completed in this time, you can apply to renew the licence prior to the expiry date. After this date, you will need to apply for a new licence. You cannot start drilling until you have received your licence.  

Bore construction licence will have several conditions on it - please read and understand the conditions before any work starts. If you have any questions about your conditions, please call us.  

Please be advised that Southern Rural Water inspects most bores during or after construction. 

Well-constructed bores will protect groundwater resources and provide an efficient long-term water supply. Poorly constructed bores may cause contamination of groundwater resources and provide inadequate water supplies for their owners.  

In Victoria, a Drillers’ Licence is needed to construct or alter groundwater bores deeper than three metres. This licence ensures that drilling businesses meet minimum standards, comply with regulations, and protect groundwater resources. 

There are limited suitably qualified drillers available to construct and deepen bores. We would encourage domestic and stock water users, and take and use licence holders, to engage drillers proactively so they are well prepared for their requirements.  

Please call us if you have any questions about drillers. 

There is no water in my bore. What causes this?

There are a number of things that can cause changes in your bore yield:

• This is often caused by a ‘failed’ bore. Bores do not last forever – on average they have a lifespan of around 30 years. They also need to be properly maintained so that they perform as they should. It is your responsibility as the bore owner to maintain your bore in proper working order.
• Shallow upper aquifers can ‘fill and spill’ seasonally. This is because they can be very thin and do not store large volumes of water. Towards the end of summer groundwater levels in your area may drop resulting in poorer yields. These aquifers usually fill again after winter and spring rains and you will find that your bore yield returns.
• In some cases your bore may be being impacted by pumping interference from a neighbouring bore. If this is occurring and your bore is in good working condition please contact us.

If your bore is for a commercial farm or business use, it may need to be metered, and we will provide a water meter at cost.  

The meter must be installed to our specifications, by a suitably qualified contractor. We will inspect the installed meter to ensure it meets our standards. All meters remain the property of Southern Rural Water.  

Domestic and stock bores do not need to be metered. 

While legislation sets strict guidelines on where bores can be positioned, we recommend that you talk to your neighbours and local council prior to drilling a bore.  

You will also need to consider accessibility to the proposed site and whether it is prone to flooding, type of pump that will need to be installed and if it will need power. 

As a general guide, these are the suggested minimum setback distances from a bore:

¹ Contact EPA Victoria, your local council or agency for more information.

² Refer to the Code of Practice - Onsite Wastewater Management. Available form www.epa.vic.gov.au

Please note that specific setback distances may be listed on your bore construction licence. 

Southern Rural Water does not guarantee the quality or quantity of any groundwater. Bore water should be tested to make sure its suitable for its intended use. Advice on whether water is for drinking or growing food at home can be found at on the Department of Health's website. 

Groundwater should not be considered safe for human consumption unless properly treated.  

To get an idea of what water quality you might expect from a new bore, check with: 

• A qualified hydrogeologist
• Qualified drillers who work in the area 

Once your bore has been drilled, you or your driller must submit a Bore Completion Report to Southern Rural Water within 28 days of the bore being drilled. 

Many areas around Victoria but mainly metropolitan Melbourne have been identified as having polluted groundwater.  

We would recommend using the Environment Protection Agency's (EPA) search tool Victoria Unearthed to identify any Groundwater Quality Restricted Use Zones (GQRUZ) near your address.  

If your address is near a GQRUZ, Victoria Unearthed can advise what the water can be used for. You are responsible for ensuring that groundwater you use is suitable for its purpose and for treating the water if necessary.  

Please note, the EPA also has a Priority Sites Register which lists sites where a ‘Clean Up’ notice or ‘Pollution Abatement’ notice has been issued. All questions regarding information at these sites should be directed to the EPA on 1300 372 842. 

Groundwater pollution from septic tanks may occur in unsewered areas and should be considered if you are in an area serviced by septic systems. 

Investigations have found bacteria and nitrate contamination in aquifers that are used for groundwater extraction by private bore owners. New bores may need to be placed away from any treatment systems.  

While we regulate the formal licencing of bores, we strongly recommend you contact your local council before drilling a bore because they might have specific requirements or regulations related to bore construction in your area. 

Throughout Melbourne in particular there are several significant infrastructure projects underway. If you are planning on constructing a bore along the route of, or near any of these projects please refer to relevant project webpage. 

Examples of such projects are the Metro Tunnel Project, Suburban Rail Loop and Westgate Tunnel project. For a complete list of projects visit Projects - Victoria’s Big Build 

Don’t plumb water to your mains supply. It is illegal to modify plumbing on your land without proper approval.

The number of homes accessing bore water has greatly increased over recent years.

It is illegal to plumb bore water with your mains supply without the proper approval from your town water supplier.

For this reason:

• Contact your urban water authority for information about modifying your mains supply to incorporate bore water or any other source of water
• You may be asked to install backflow devices at the mains water meter and internal plumbing
• Installation, if approved, must follow instructions provided by your urban water authority
• All installations of backflow devices must be carried out by a licensed plumber
• In areas where there is an increased risk of mains water contamination, annual testing by Plumbing Industry Commission licensed plumbers may be required

Working with these requirements will assist water suppliers to continue to provide you with a reliable source of water.

To discuss these requirements or to find out more, please contact your local urban water authority.

EPA Victoria has made existing information about groundwater quality easier to find via an interactive web tool on its website. You can easily search a map of Victoria to find where a ‘groundwater quality restricted use zone’ is. These are areas where there has been historic groundwater pollution as a result of previous industrial activity. For more information visit the EPA website www.epa.vic.gov.au/groundwater.

What does it look like down a bore?
Take a look at our youtube channel to see footage taken down a deep bore in south west Victoria.

In Victoria, a drillers licence is needed for individuals or businesses who perform drilling and construction work on groundwater bores. Read our how to obtain a Victorian waterwell drillers’ licence guide for more information. 

Before you drill a new bore or alter an existing bore, you need to have received a copy of the Bore Construction Licence. You must read and understand all the conditions on the licence and perform works in accordance with them.  

This applies to any bore where groundwater is to be intercepted - even if the bore is for investigation and/or observation purposes. 

Failure to obtain a licence to construct a bore is an offence under the Water Act 1989 and we will not hesitate to take legal action against drillers and their clients where the law is breached. 

Call us if you need to clarify anything before starting work. 

If you need to drill deeper than the Bore Construction Licence allows, drill extra bores, or change the proposed bore site you must call us first on 1300 139 510 (toll free).

We will ask you to explain the situation and give an idea of the additional depth required. Our licencing staff will assess the revised depth, notify you of any additional requirements and provide, where appropriate, approval to proceed in the shortest possible timeframe.

Please be aware we must authorise any additional bores on a site before the work starts. This applies to bores for domestic and stock use and commercial farming or business activities. 

You need to provide a copy of the Bore Completion Report to Southern Rural Water and to the bore licensee within 28 working days of the works being completed. 

Constructing a bore
Reminding all drillers
Don't plumb bore water into your mains supply