Drilling
Decision
Report
24–34 m · ~9.2 L/s
Contents
- 01Recommendation & key answersThe bottom line, at a glance03
- 02Where to screen the boreTarget depth and the bores behind it04
- 03How much water to expectLikely yield and dry-bore risk05
- 04Effect on neighbouring boresDrawdown maps and interference06
- 05Rough costA working bore, plus the water permit08
- 06Siting checkHow your location measures against the rules09
- 07Getting connectedYour next steps, in order10
Recommendation
Why this band: it has the most recorded bore data at this site (14 bores with recorded screens out of 17 in the band), making its depth and yield figures the most dependable.
Bands with few or no recorded bores are far less certain — treat them as indicative only.
Key answers
Where to screen the bore
The Aquifer 1 band is the recommended target because it has the most recorded bore data here (14 of 17 with recorded screens), so its depth and yield figures are the most reliable. Deeper bands can yield more but cost more to drill, and their estimates carry more uncertainty.
| Aquifer | Typical screen | 80% within | Bores | Confidence | Likely yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquifer 1 ★ | 24–34 m | 14–59 m | 17 | High | ~9.2 L/s |
| Aquifer 2 | 73–86 m | 60–97 m* | 2 | Medium | ~20.3 L/s |
| Aquifer 3 | 108–120 m | 98–129 m* | 1 | Low | ~25.5 L/s |
"Screen" is the slotted intake section of the bore. Plan to drill a few metres past the bottom of the screen for gravel packing. *Estimated from regional data — indicative only.
How much water to expect
Expect about 9.2 L/s, with roughly a 1-in-2 chance of reaching your target of 10.4 L/s, and about a 13-in-100 chance of a dry bore.
Effect on neighbouring bores
If you drill into Aquifer 1 (the recommended band), 3 of the 17 neighbouring bores screened in that aquifer may be noticeably affected. Drilling into Aquifer 2 or 3 affects none.
The verdict for each bore depends on how much spare water depth it has, not just the size of the drop — a bore with plenty of headroom may tolerate a drop that would trouble a shallower one.
Drawdown maps
There is one map pair per aquifer, and each pair assumes your proposed bore is drilled into that aquifer — so a pair shows what would happen if you targeted that band alone. Warmer colours mean bigger water-level drops; the difference between Before and After is your bore's effect.
Aquifer 1
Aquifer 2
Aquifer 3
Which neighbouring bores could be affected
If you drill into Aquifer 1 (24–34 m)
3 of 17 neighbouring bores in this aquifer may be affected.
| Bore | Distance | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| L35/0721 | 775 m | May be affected |
| L35/0771 | 922 m | May be affected |
| L35/0985 | 1,417 m | May be affected |
| L35/0533 | 686 m | No meaningful effect |
| BW22/0063 | 693 m | No meaningful effect |
| L35/0784 | 725 m | No meaningful effect |
| plus 11 more with no meaningful effect | ||
If you drill into Aquifer 2 (74–87 m)
| Bore | Distance |
|---|---|
| L35/0875 | 1,489 m |
| L35/1074 | 1,965 m |
Both show no meaningful effect.
If you drill into Aquifer 3 (108–120 m)
| Bore | Distance |
|---|---|
| BW22/0051 | 845 m |
Shows no meaningful effect.
Rough cost
Indicative only, to help you plan. Only a driller's quote is definitive.
Everything needed to get water flowing. Drilling is permitted in Canterbury, so a Bore Installer Programme driller means no consent, just an $83 charge.
| Drilling to 34 m (150–200 mm casing) | $15,000–21,000 |
| Pump, pipework, electrical (~10 L/s at 34 m) | $6,000–14,000 |
| Headworks (pad, cap, fence, tap, bung) | $800–2,000 |
| Water quality test before use | $150–400 |
| Bore paperwork charge | $83 |
Being allowed to pump is a separate, harder decision. Your 10.4 L/s target is above the permitted limit, so a permit is required. Cost hinges on whether it is notified.
| ECan deposit (single consent) | $5,000 min |
| Pump test field work (step + 24 hr) | $2,000–8,000 |
| Technical assessment and application | $7,000–16,000 |
Ongoing $230/year per permit whether or not you pump; takes of 5 L/s+ need a meter and telemetry (verification ~$500); pump replacement every 10–15 years. The consent deposit is a minimum, not a price, and is payable whether granted, declined or withdrawn.
Siting check
Your proposed drill site passes every fixed separation rule in the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan with a wide margin — the nearest constraint is over five times further away than the rules require.
Canterbury's fixed distances mostly bind the contaminant source, not the bore. A septic field, for example, is only permitted if it stays 50 m from a bore. So these rules protect your bore's siting, and also bind any future neighbouring activity once your bore is drilled.
| Check | Basis | Rule | Yours | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest existing bore | Assessed by calculation (Schedule 12, section 04) | — | 627 m | Clear |
| Property boundary | No regional setback for a bore | — | 645 m | Clear |
| Rivers, streams, drains | Stream depletion assessed by calc (Schedule 9) | — | 725 m | Clear |
| Septic / effluent field | Discharge must stay 50 m from a bore | 50 m | 675 m | 13× |
| Offal / rubbish pit | Pit must stay 100 m from a bore | 100 m | 550 m | 5× |
| Silage stockpile (>20 m³) | Rule 5.38: 50 m from a bore | 50 m | 550 m | 11× |
| Fertiliser storage | Good practice (no specific rule) | — | 550 m | Clear |
Measured from your proposed drill location to the nearest mapped feature of each type. If you shift the site, re-check. If the bore will supply drinking water, extra protections apply. Rules current as at July 2026; confirm with Environment Canterbury at consent time.
Getting connected
- Check you can take the water before you spend on a hole.Drilling and being allowed to pump are two separate decisions, and the second is harder. Many Canterbury zones are fully or over-allocated, and where that is the case a new take is prohibited. Call Environment Canterbury on 0800 324 636 and ask which allocation zone you are in and whether water is available. It is free, and they offer a free one-hour pre-application meeting.
- Use a driller in the Bore Installer Programme.Drilling is then a permitted activity — no bore consent needed. Share this report with whoever you choose; it gives them your target band, depth and flow.
- Check what the quote leaves out.Ask whether headworks are included, and make sure the water-level bung is fitted during construction — cheap now, expensive to retrofit. Confirm who files the bore log; it is due to the council within 20 working days.
- If you need a water permit, plan for it early.You will need a step test and usually a 24-hour constant rate test, written approval from bore owners within 2 km or a technical assessment, and consultation with the local rūnanga. Section 04 is a preliminary version of that assessment, not a substitute. Allow several months.
- Once the bore is in.Sort the pump and power for the final depth. Install metering and telemetry if your take is 5 L/s or more. Test the water before drinking it. Keep the driller's log — the most useful document you will hold on this bore.
Data sources
- Regional council bore database — 21 bores within 2 km (analysis run 23 July 2026).
- NZ Aquifer Database — matched aquifer: Waimakariri–Ashley Plains (high confidence).
- Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan and Environment Canterbury guidance and fee schedule (1 July 2025).
- Depths, yields and water-level effects are estimates from nearby bore records, not guarantees. Ground conditions change over short distances.
- Interference cuts both ways — a future neighbouring bore could affect yours.
- Cost figures are indicative; only a driller's quote is definitive.
- This report is not a consent application and does not replace advice from a drilling contractor, hydrogeologist or your regional council.