Borehole and Borewell Drilling in The Gambia
We drill, case, develop and equip boreholes for homes, farms, hotels and construction sites — and we finish the job, which means a tested water supply connected to a pump and a tank, not a hole in the ground.
What is the difference between a borehole and a hand-dug well?
A hand-dug well is a wide shaft excavated by hand, usually only a few metres deep, reaching the shallow water table. A borehole is a narrow shaft drilled by machine, going much deeper to reach a confined aquifer. Boreholes generally give more reliable year-round yield and cleaner water, because deeper aquifers are less affected by the dry season and far less exposed to surface contamination.
The problems we hear about most
These are the situations clients describe when they first call us, and what we do about each one.
- Wells that run dry at the end of the dry season.
- Shallow sources drop as the water table falls between February and June. Drilling to a deeper aquifer is what gives a supply that holds through the dry months.
- Salty or brackish water near the coast and the river.
- Saline intrusion is a real constraint in parts of the country. We test water before committing to a pump and will tell you if a location is unsuitable rather than sell you a borehole that yields water you cannot use.
- Boreholes that silt up or collapse after a year or two.
- Proper casing, correctly positioned screens, a gravel pack and full development of the well before handover are what prevent this. Skipping development is what causes it.
- Paying for a hole and still having no water at the tap.
- Our scope runs to pump, rising main, cabling, tank and connection, so what you get is a working supply.
- Construction sites depending on water deliveries.
- Drilling early in a project gives the site its own supply for mixing, curing and washing down, which removes a common source of delay.
Who we work with
- Households wanting an independent, reliable water supply
- Farms and market gardens needing irrigation water
- Hotels, guesthouses and compounds with high daily demand
- Construction sites needing water for concrete and blockwork
- Schools, clinics and community projects
- Livestock and poultry operations
Why clients choose us for this
- Water tested before the pump is chosen
- Yield and quality are established first. The pump is then sized to what the well actually delivers, rather than the well being expected to match a pump someone already bought.
- Complete installations
- Drilling, casing, development, pump, rising main, cabling, tank and connection — one team, one accountable job.
- Solar pumping where it makes sense
- For farms and rural sites, solar can reduce dependence on fuel or grid supply. Pump and storage sizing still need to match the site’s demand pattern.
- Honest siting advice
- If a location is unlikely to give usable water, we say so before you spend money on it.
What is included
Written scopes prevent arguments later. This is the full range we cover — your quotation will state exactly which parts apply to your project.
Investigation
- Site visit and access assessment
- Review of nearby well and borehole experience
- Siting for yield and for distance from contamination sources
- Advice on likely depth and expected yield for the area
Drilling and construction
- Machine drilling to the target aquifer
- Casing and screen installation
- Gravel pack and sanitary seal
- Well development and flushing until the water runs clear
- Yield testing and drawdown measurement
Equipping
- Submersible pump sized to tested yield and demand
- Solar arrays, controllers or mains connection
- Rising main, cabling and control panel
- Overhead or ground storage tanks and stands
- Distribution to house, compound, farm or site
Handover
- Water quality sampling
- Wellhead protection and headworks
- Operating and maintenance guidance
- Record of depth, casing and tested yield
Our process, step by step
- 01
1. Site assessment
We visit, look at access for the rig, discuss your daily water demand, and review what nearby wells and boreholes are doing.
- 02
2. Siting and quotation
A drilling position is chosen and you receive a written quotation covering likely depth, casing, development and equipping.
- 03
3. Drilling
The rig is mobilised and the borehole drilled to the target aquifer, with the formations logged as we go.
- 04
4. Casing and development
Casing and screens are installed, the gravel pack placed and the well developed until it runs clear and the yield stabilises.
- 05
5. Testing
Yield and drawdown are measured and a water sample taken, so the pump can be sized against real numbers.
- 06
6. Pump, tank and handover
Pump, rising main, tank and distribution are installed and commissioned, and you receive the borehole record.
How we do the work
The details below are where quality is actually decided — and where corners are usually cut.
- Casing and screens
- Casing is selected for the depth and ground conditions, with screens positioned against the water-bearing layer rather than at a standard depth.
- Sanitary seal
- The annulus around the upper casing is sealed so surface water and latrine seepage cannot travel down the outside of the borehole into the aquifer.
- Separation from contamination sources
- Boreholes are sited a safe distance from septic tanks, soakaways and animal pens, and downgradient siting is avoided.
- Development before handover
- A well is pumped and surged until the discharge is clear and the yield is stable. This is the step that determines whether a borehole silts up later.
- Water quality
- Samples are taken so salinity and iron are known before you commit to a use. Water that is fine for irrigation and washing is not automatically fit to drink.
Swipe horizontally to compare all columns.
| Hand-dug well | Drilled borehole | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical depth | Shallow — a few metres to the water table | Deep — to a confined aquifer |
| Dry-season reliability | Often drops or dries out | Generally holds year round |
| Contamination risk | High — open to surface water | Low when properly sealed |
| Upfront cost | Lower | Higher |
| Best for | Small garden use | Households, farms, hotels, construction |
Projects where we did this
Borehole drilling: common questions
If your question is not here, call us — we would rather answer it before you commit than after.
How deep do boreholes need to be in The Gambia?
Depth varies considerably with location. Shallow sources reach the water table within a few metres in some areas, while boreholes drilled for a dependable year-round supply typically go substantially deeper to reach a confined aquifer. We give a depth estimate for your specific site after assessing it and reviewing nearby borehole experience, because a national average would be misleading.
How long does it take to drill a borehole?
Drilling itself is often a matter of days once the rig is on site. Casing, gravel packing, development and yield testing add to that, and equipping with a pump, tank and distribution follows. From mobilisation to a working supply, plan on one to two weeks for a typical domestic installation, longer where access is difficult.
Is borehole water safe to drink?
Not automatically. A properly sealed deep borehole is far less exposed to contamination than a shallow open well, but salinity and iron are common issues in parts of the country and neither is visible. Have the water tested before treating it as drinking water, and retest periodically. Water that is perfectly good for irrigation, washing and construction may still need treatment for drinking.
Can a borehole be powered by solar?
Yes, and for farms and rural sites it is often the better choice because it removes fuel and grid costs. The trade-off is that output follows the sun, so the system needs storage sized to carry demand overnight and through cloudy periods. We size the array, pump and tank together against your daily demand.
What maintenance does a borehole need?
Keep the wellhead sealed and the headworks drained away from the casing, watch for changes in yield or clarity, service the pump and check cabling on the manufacturer’s schedule, and retest water quality periodically. A gradual fall in yield or sand appearing in the discharge is worth investigating early rather than after the pump fails.
What happens if you do not find water?
It can happen, and any driller who guarantees water at a fixed price on any site is not being straight with you. We assess the site first and tell you honestly what the prospects look like, and we agree in writing beforehand what happens in the event of a dry or unusable hole.
Related services
Get a quote for borehole drilling
Tell us the location and what you need. We serve the Greater Banjul Area and travel further by arrangement.
Monday to Saturday, 8:00 – 18:00. We use your details only to answer your enquiry.