Boreholes

[Homme Poco]

Is it worth having a borehole sunk if there is a mains supply adjacent to your lote?,as there is in our case.
We have had a rough estimate (in excess of 10,000 Euros).you cannot get a fixed price as they do not know how deep it will have to be.
One person has told me it is a big gamble as the well could dry up at any time,others have said its a must if you want a nice garden.I would have thought there are enough nice plants that would grow ok without an irrigation system.
Has anybody had any experinces,good or bad,about the above?
HP

[Bruxinha]

I am not sure if you would get permission to sink one if you already have mains supply, especially with the water problems we have had up until now. You might need to check on that HP with the Ministério do Ambiente e Recursos Naturais in Faro. The licence you need to obtain is called a Declaração de Utilização do Domínio Hídrico and on this licence the box alongside “capatação de água” has to be marked. A borehole licence is valid for 5 years and then renewed.

[pm]

10,000 Euros

Good God, that seems a bit steep. I'm sure I remember someone on here a while back that was complaining bitterly that his cost 1000 euros.

[Bruxinha]

Probably depends on how deep they have to dig but I thought I heard between 3000 to 5000 Euros when I last spoke to a few people.

[Homme Poco]

Thanks Brux and Pete,the estimate included the pump and electrics(roughly 25% of amount)
HP

[pm]

The pumps cost around £500 or so and the electrics consist of little more than a bit of wire and a float switch.
I am definitely in the wrong job here.

[Guest]

Thanks again,I can see I am going to have to delve into this much more
If it was 1000,euros plus pump etc,it's worth a gamble,but 10 I'm not too sure!!
By the way Pete,I think we're going to give up on the solar power too(for the electricity anyway).
How is your casa progressing,are you still updating your webpage?
Can't remember where it was.
HP

[Guest]

yes i have heard also that if you have mains water you cannot get permission to have a borehole...mains water is not expensive...if you use it for normal use..but it becomes pricey when you want nice green lawns everywhere

a price of 10000 euros is not too far out...dont forget that boreholes do dry up ...do go saltly..and the pumps do burn out...I know because I have had experience of all three situations

if you wnat a nice garden be happy to accept what nature intends and gives here and not put a "uk " garden in where it cannot be sustained

[nightrider]

Thanks again,I can see I am going to have to delve into this much more
If it was 1000,euros plus pump etc,it's worth a gamble,but 10 I'm not too sure!!
By the way Pete,I think we're going to give up on the solar power too(for the electricity anyway).
How is your casa progressing,are you still updating your webpage?
Can't remember where it was.
HP

HP,

Been in the fridge have we.......forgot to sign in did we........pot calling the kettle black are we.......

http://www.animationfactory.com/animati ... ts/13b499/

[Homme Poco]

Touche` (don´t you go on!!!! )
Bom dia
HP

[Lesley Jean]

I Know I have asked this question before, but I don't think I got an answer last time. Why do you not catch the rainwater from the roofs (using guttering) and store it in underground cisternas (sorry if I have spelt that wrong) for use on the land, we conserve all our rainwater here as I use it for water for the animals and the garden as we are on metered water.

I have not seen this system in Portugal, well in the Algarve anyway. Would have thought it would make sense.

[Gambrinus]

Rain water is usually only suitable for garden irrigation, as it does pick up a lot of impurtiy on the way down from the roof. My parents have a 30000lt rain water cistern which supplies a 4000sqm plot of mediterranean garden (no lawn). The garden requires that all circuits run 5 minutes in a day, at that rate the cistern can supply water for 4 days

With other words, the system is only usefull in winter time inbetween rainy periods. After the rains the garden can go without irrigation for almost two weeks, if it does not start raining again, the gardner will switch on the irrigation once or twice per week. Therefore, the water supply in the cistern can supply the garden 5-6 weeks after the rain stops.

In summer the cistern ins empty within a week.

[Lesley Jean]

Thanks for that Gambrinus, now I know the answer to my question, still some rain water to use on the garden is better than nothing I suppose?