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What is bore water?

By Javier García · Updated November 2, 2026

It is groundwater, not mains water. What is in it depends entirely on the ground it came from.

Bore water is groundwater pumped up from an aquifer through a bore drilled into the ground. It is not treated, and it is not the same as mains water. Two bores on neighbouring blocks can give you very different water.

Where bore water comes from

Rain soaks into the ground and collects in layers of rock, sand or gravel. A bore reaches into one of those layers and a pump lifts the water to the surface. On the way down, the water picks up minerals from the rock it passes through.

That is why bore water can be hard, salty, iron-rich or perfectly clear. The ground decides, and you cannot tell by looking.

What is often in it

Common additions are salt, iron, manganese, calcium and magnesium. Some bores also carry bacteria or other contaminants from nearby land use or septic systems. A few have naturally occurring substances that are harmful over time.

Sign you notice	What it can point to	Does it tell you it is safe?
Orange or brown stains	Iron or manganese	No
White scale on taps and kettles	Hardness	No
Salty taste, dying garden plants	High salinity	No
Crystal clear and no smell	Nothing at all	No

What you can use it for

Many people use bore water on the garden, for toilets and for washing cars. Even for those jobs, salty or iron-heavy water can damage plants, stain surfaces and shorten the life of fittings. Know what is in it first.

Drinking is a different question. Never assume bore water is drinkable. Clear water can carry bacteria or chemicals you cannot see, smell or taste. The only way to know is a test by a NATA accredited laboratory, and only that lab can tell you what the result means for your use.

Test before you decide anything

Ask the laboratory what to test for in your area, how to collect the sample and how often to repeat the test. Conditions change with season and with how heavily the aquifer is pumped. One test is a snapshot, not a guarantee.

If the water leaves stains, hard water is a good place to start understanding why. If you want to treat any water, read about whole-house filters and what they do and do not remove.

This far, and no further. Collecting a sample and sending it to a laboratory is something you can do yourself. Connecting a bore pump or bore water to the house plumbing, or installing treatment, is licensed work, and bore rules vary by state and territory. Contact your state or territory regulator or water authority before you drill, connect or use bore water indoors.

How to get a bore water test done properly

A test is the only way to know what you have. Follow this order and the result is more useful.

Call a NATA accredited laboratory first. Ask what to test for in your area.
Ask how to collect the sample. Labs often supply the bottles and rules for handling.
Take the sample as instructed. Do not rinse bottles or use your own container unless told to.
Note the date and conditions. Quality changes with season and with how heavily the aquifer is pumped.
Ask what the result means for your use. The lab can tell you whether it suits the garden, the toilet or drinking.
Plan to repeat it. One test is a snapshot, not a guarantee.

Matching what you notice to what to ask the lab

These signs do not prove anything. They tell you what to raise with the laboratory.

What you notice	What it can suggest	Ask the lab about
Orange or brown stains	Iron or manganese	Metals
White scale on taps and kettles	Hardness	Calcium and magnesium; see hard water
Salty taste, plants dying	High salinity	Salt
Clear water, no smell	Nothing at all	Bacteria and other contaminants
A bore near septic systems	Possible bacteria	Microbial testing

If you want to treat bore water, read whole-house filters first. Treatment does not replace a test.

Frequently asked questions