Can I drill a groundwater bore on my property?

If you are a landholder, you might be considering drilling a groundwater bore on your property. The water can be used for stock, irrigation or domestic use. But what environmental approvals are needed?

You might require a development assessment and water licence depending on the bores intended use and location. Additionally, any bores deeper than 6 metres will need to be supervised or conducted by a licenced water bore driller.

Much of Logan City and the Scenic Rim fall into the Logan Basin Water Plan 2007.

To satisfy the assessment provisions you will need

• The design and location of the works e.g. GPS coordinates

• Hydrological and geomorphic information (if available), this can sometimes be found in historical records

• The depths of the works and the aquifer that is proposed to be tapped by the works

• How you intend to use the water from the bore

• Details of any current licences held

Once all approvals are granted, you can start drilling. Once the bore has been drilled, you may need to submit the drill log to the administering authority within a specified timeframe.

Queensland’s planning framework and water licencing can be confusing. If you are unsure on whether you are allowed to drill a bore or not, contact RiethThink Environmental and we can assist in ensuring your bore is constructed legally.

There are penalties for the taking of water without a licence or not acquiring a development approval before drilling.