UPDATE : 11 March 2025

A Working Group of five persons met on 11 March 2025 to discuss and formulate a plan to meet with the CoJ with the aim of assisting the City in streamlining the “Consent to Drill” process.  The Working Group agreed that the many items on the current Consent form required by the CoJ must first be fully understood by the Working Group.  Only after that, can the group make valid suggestions.  This process is unfortunately going to take some time.  We continue to urge our members to follow the current requirements as detailed below and operate within the Bylaws of the City of Joburg to avoid confrontation with the City Officials.

Borehole Water Association (BWA) Advisory to Members

Urgent Compliance Measures for Borehole Drilling in Johannesburg & Countrywide

Industry Alert: Gautrain Drilling Incident & Regulatory Crackdown

The recent Gautrain drilling incident, in which an unregistered driller inadvertently compromised the underground rail network, has thrust the urban borehole drilling industry into the public eye—unfortunately, in a highly damaging manner.

In response, the City of Joburg has taken immediate action, impounding drilling rigs and confiscating equipment from contractors operating in Johannesburg. This enforcement highlights the urgent need for all borehole drilling contractors to adhere strictly to the required registration and permitting processes before commencing work.

See: Media Release from City of Joburg

BWA’s Position & Actions

The Borehole Water Association (BWA) has swiftly engaged with the City of Joburg to ensure that:

  • The drilling industry remains viable and sustainable, preventing excessive enforcement actions from crippling legitimate businesses.

  • The BWA fully supports the City’s responsibility to regulate drilling and protect buried infrastructure to prevent incidents like the Gautrain tunnel breach from recurring.

  • Consumers are protected from unscrupulous and unregistered drillers who provide poor workmanship, exploit clients, and tarnish the industry’s reputation.

  • The groundwater industry collaborates with the Department of Water and Sanitation to improve the tracking and management of South Africa’s groundwater resources, addressing the current lack of information sharing.

  • A more efficient and streamlined process for drilling consent applications is developed to prevent unreasonable delays and to allow compliant drillers to operate legally.

Mandatory Compliance: Registration & Permitting Process

Effective immediately, the BWA strongly urges all members to follow the full legal registration process (which needs to be completed by the landowner) before commencing any drilling work. Failure to comply will result in equipment impoundment and hefty fines imposed by municipal authorities.

The current application process, as outlined in municipal bylaws, requires:

#1 Completion & Submission of Required Forms

  • Application Form 10 - Consent Borehole (2019) AND Form A - Application Information Borehole (2024) need to be completed by the land owner. These forms are in the process of being merged; updates will follow once a new form is available.

  • Both forms must be sent to landuseapplications@joburg.org.za

  • Wait for an email from a Registrations Officer, confirming that they are working on the application.

  • The Registrations Officer may be in touch to request further information.

#2 Payment of the Application Fee

  • The registration application incurs a fee of R1,185.

  • An invoice will be issued once the application is processed, and payment is required before drilling can commence.

  • Submit proof of payment to the Registrations Officer overseeing the application and CC dppayments@joburg.org.za.

#3 Approval & Compliance Before Drilling

  • Contractors must ensure they have received formal consent from the city before proceeding with drilling.

  • Any deviation from this process will expose drillers to severe penalties.

Ongoing Engagement with COJ and other Metros

We recognise that the existing registration process can be cumbersome, and delays can negatively impact business operations. The BWA is actively engaging with the City of Joburg to streamline the process, to achieve the dual goals of safety & responsible drilling, and business sustainability for the groundwater industry.

Final Message to BWA Members

Compliance is non-negotiable. If you do not follow the registration process, you risk losing your equipment and facing fines.

The BWA is working to improve the process. While current registration timelines are frustrating, adhering to them is the best way to avoid costly disruptions to your business.

We will continue engaging with the City of Joburg to ensure that regulations are fair, streamlined, and do not unfairly penalise responsible drilling professionals.

Stay tuned for further updates, and if you have any concerns, please contact BWA for guidance on navigating the compliance process.

Together, we can ensure the sustainability of the groundwater industry while protecting our infrastructure, resources, and professional reputation.