Hydrogeological Survey
Required before you can drill
A geologist maps the aquifer, marks the drilling point and writes the report the Water Resources Authority needs. Skip it and you risk paying for a dry hole.
FromKES 40,000
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Kenya's borehole guide
Borehole Drillers in Kenya
Your own water supply, drilled by licensed contractors. Find out what your site needs and what it will take.
Get a free quote✓ Countrywide, all 47 counties
Survey first
We drill where the water is
Licensed rigs
Permit checked every job
Permits handled
WRA and NEMA sorted for you
Real market rates
Published per metre
Home
A borehole ends the water problem for good. No more rationing schedule, no more waiting on a bowser that comes when it comes, no more paying by the tank through a dry season. You own the supply, and on a farm or a rental block it usually pays for itself in a few years.
It is also a serious job with real requirements: a geologist has to confirm there is water under your plot, the Water Resources Authority has to permit it, and the rig has to be licensed. We handle all of it for you, and we publish what each step costs so you can see where your money goes before you commit.
What the job involves
6 line items · market rates100m Borehole, drilled and equipped
100m · air rotary · electric pump
The most common depth in the Nairobi metro. Covers the survey, permits, 100m of air-rotary drilling with casing, test pumping and an electric submersible pump.
FromKES 1,050,000
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150m Borehole, drilled and equipped
150m · air rotary · electric pump
Where the water table sits deeper, as in much of Kajiado, Machakos and the drier counties. Same scope as the 100m package with 50 more metres of drilling and casing.
FromKES 1,420,000
Get a quoteAir Rotary Drilling
Per metre · stable rock formation
The standard method where there is solid rock beneath. The per-metre rate already includes mobilisation, casing, graveling, well development and test pumping.
FromKES 6,700
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Solar Pumping System
Solar pump, panels and controller
No power bill and no grid dependency, which matters on farms and off-grid plots. It costs more upfront than an electric pump and pays back through saved tokens.
FromKES 250,000
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WRA and NEMA Permit Processing
Authorisation to drill
The Water Resources Authority permit and the NEMA environmental licence. Drilling without them is illegal and the borehole can be sealed.
FromKES 50,000
Get a quoteDoes your plot actually have water?
This is the first question, and it is not answered by the driller. A hydrogeologist surveys the site, maps the aquifer underneath it and marks the point to drill. The report tells you the likely depth and yield before anyone brings a rig.
Depth is what your site dictates and what everything else follows from. In much of the Nairobi metro water sits around 100m; in parts of Kajiado and Machakos you may be drilling 150m or more. That is why nobody can quote you honestly over the phone.
From decision to running water
The drilling itself is quick, usually two to five days. The survey and the WRA and NEMA permits are what set your timeline, commonly four to eight weeks before a rig arrives. Plan on roughly two to three months from decision to water.
Then the borehole is tested to prove its yield in cubic metres per hour, the water is tested to confirm it is safe to drink, and a pump is sized to what the hole actually delivers. Ask for both certificates before the final payment.
What it will take
Expect from about KES 720,000 for a shallow 50m borehole and around KES 1,050,000 for a 100m borehole drilled and fully equipped. The drilling itself runs about KES 6,700 per metre in stable rock and KES 15,050 per metre in loose ground.
Almost nobody buys a borehole twice, so those numbers are hard to sanity-check. A quote is really five purchases bundled together: the survey, the permits, the drilling and casing, the test pumping, and the pump. We publish each line at the market rate so you can see what you are paying for.
Why Proboreholedrillers
One team from the survey to the first glass of water
A borehole is five jobs bundled into one: the survey that finds the water, the permits that make it legal, the drilling, the test that proves the yield, and the pump. We run all five for you, with licensed rigs and a quote broken down line by line, so you know exactly what you are paying for before anyone starts.
- ✦ Survey first, so you drill where the water is
- ✦ WRA and NEMA permits handled for you
- ✦ A quote itemised at real market rates
Do you need a borehole drilled?
Tell us where the plot is and what the water is for. We will handle the survey, the permits and the drilling, and come back to you with the likely depth and what it will cost. Countrywide, all 47 counties.
Get a free quoteQuestions, answered
Frequently asked questions
Is a borehole worth it?+
On a farm, a rental block, a school or any site paying for trucked water, usually yes, and it often pays back within a few years. For a single household on a reliable mains connection the case is weaker. The honest test is what you currently spend on water and how often the supply fails.
How do I know if there is water under my plot?+
A hydrogeological survey answers this before you commit to drilling. A geologist maps the aquifer, marks the drilling point and estimates the depth and yield. It costs from KES 40,000 and it is also the report the Water Resources Authority requires, so it is not optional.
How long does a borehole take?+
The drilling itself is usually two to five days. The survey and permits take longer, commonly four to eight weeks, so the paperwork is what sets your timeline. Plan for two to three months overall.
Is borehole water safe to drink?+
Not automatically. Chemical analysis after drilling tells you what is in it. Kenyan groundwater is often hard or high in fluoride depending on the area, which is treatable, but you need the test result first. Insist on the certificate.
How much does it cost to drill a borehole in Kenya?+
From about KES 720,000 for a 50m borehole and KES 1,050,000 for a 100m borehole, drilled and equipped with a pump. The drilling alone is about KES 6,700 per metre in stable rock and KES 15,050 per metre in loose ground.
Do I need a permit to drill a borehole in Kenya?+
Yes. You need a Water Resources Authority permit and a NEMA environmental licence, and both need a hydrogeological survey report first. Drilling without them is illegal and the borehole can be sealed.
Explore more
Borehole Drilling Cost in Kenya
Every line of a borehole quote, priced at the 2026 market rate, so you can tell a fair number from a padded one.
View Cost →Hydrogeological Survey in Kenya
The step that decides whether your borehole finds water, and the report the Water Resources Authority will ask for.
View Survey →Requirements for Drilling a Borehole in Kenya
The survey, the WRA permit and the NEMA licence, in the order they actually happen.
View Permits →Borehole Water Pump Prices in Kenya
What the pump costs, what the installed job costs, and how depth and yield decide which one your borehole can actually take.
View Pumps →