As municipal water systems continue to deteriorate, more households are relying on boreholes simply to keep water flowing.

Recent government notices left many homeowners concerned they could face penalties for failing to register their boreholes. We sought clarity directly from the Department of Water and Sanitation on behalf of affected residents.

The department has now confirmed that households using borehole water for reasonable domestic purposes do not need to register under the current National Water Act registration process. Commercial, agricultural and other high-volume groundwater users remain subject to those registration requirements.

This clarification relates to the National Water Act only. Municipal by-laws dealing with the registration of boreholes remain separate and may still apply, depending on your municipality.

This outcome demonstrates the value of constructive engagement in providing legal certainty while helping South Africans better understand their rights and responsibilities.

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