Is Your Borehole Costing You a Fortune? 4 Ways to Slash Your Electricity Bill

You drilled a borehole to save money on municipal water and gain independence from water restrictions. But then the electricity bill arrives, and it is higher than ever. It is a common shock for property owners across Gauteng. The pump that gives you "free" water is powered by electricity—and if your system is inefficient, it could be eating into your savings every single month.

The Hidden Cost of "Free" Water

A typical submersible borehole pump in Gauteng can consume between 1.5 kW and 7.5 kW per hour of running time, depending on the depth of the water and the size of the motor. If your pump runs for 4 hours a day, that could add R500 to R1500+ to your monthly municipal bill. The good news? Inefficiency is not inevitable. Here is why your pump is using too much power and how to fix it.

1. The Pressure Switch is Set Too High

Most pressure switches are factory-set to a default range, often 2 to 4 bar (or 200 kPa to 400 kPa). But do you actually need 4 bar of pressure? For most households, 2.5 to 3 bar is sufficient for showers, irrigation, and appliances. Every extra bar of pressure forces your pump to work exponentially harder. Lowering the pressure switch setting by just 0.5 bar can reduce your pump's energy consumption by 10-15% overnight.

2. You Have a Leak You Can't See

A dripping tap is annoying, but an underground leak is a financial black hole. If you have a leak in the pipe between the borehole and the house, or in the irrigation system, your pump will run constantly to compensate for the pressure loss. It never shuts off because the pressure never reaches the cut-out point. This is the #1 cause of mysteriously high electricity bills after borehole installation.

Quick Test: Check your pressure gauge when all taps are closed. If the pressure drops steadily over 10-15 minutes, you have a leak somewhere.

3. The Pump is Wrong for Your Depth

Not all pumps are created equal. If your borehole is 90 meters deep but your pump is designed for 50 meters, it is struggling. It is running longer and drawing more amps to push that water to the surface. This is common when a previous owner installed a cheap pump or when the water table has dropped significantly since the original installation. An oversized or undersized pump is the most inefficient machine you can own.

4. Dirty Filters and Clogged Pipes

Sediment filters are essential for clean water, but they have a dirty secret: when they clog, they create back pressure. Your pump has to push harder to force water through a blocked filter. If you haven't changed your sediment filter in months, your pump is fighting a losing battle. The same applies to scale buildup inside pipes—common in Gauteng's hard water areas—which narrows the pipe diameter and restricts flow.

How to Calculate Your Pump's Running Cost

Want to know exactly what your borehole costs you? Here is a simple formula:

Pump Kilowatts (kW) x Hours Running per Day x Eskom Rate (R/kWh) x 30 = Monthly Cost

For example: A 2.2 kW pump running 3 hours a day at an average Eskom rate of R2.50 per kWh costs: 2.2 x 3 x 2.50 x 30 = R495 per month.

If your pump is running 6 hours a day due to inefficiency, that cost doubles to nearly R1000. Finding the inefficiency pays for itself.

5. Upgrade to a Variable Speed Drive (VSD)

Traditional pumps run at full speed until they hit the cut-off pressure, then slam off. It is inefficient and hard on the system. A Variable Speed Drive (VSD) or "inverter" pump ramps up and down smoothly based on demand. Instead of blasting water at full pressure for 10 minutes, it runs gently for 20 minutes using far less total electricity. For high-usage properties, a VSD can cut electricity costs by 30-50%.

The R10,000 Question

Is your borehole saving you money or costing you money? If you are on municipal water, a cubic meter (kiloliter) costs around R30 to R50 in Gauteng. Pumping your own water costs only the electricity—which should be around R2 to R5 per kiloliter. If your costs are higher than that, your system is broken.

A professional energy audit of your borehole system can identify exactly where your money is going. Technicians can measure the amp draw, check the pressure settings, and test for leaks. In most cases, the cost of the audit is recovered within two months of lower electricity bills.

Don't let an inefficient pump drain your wallet. Whether you are in Sandton, Fourways, or Pretoria East, a simple system check can put money back in your pocket every single month.