Updated 2026-10-23
How do you choose the exact spot to drill a borehole on our site?
WaterLocation maps water‑bearing fractures on your land and gives drilling coordinates, target depth and a forecast yield. On a Bavarian granite hill with four dry holes, our spot 47 m away hit water at 22 m and gives 200 m³/day; in Catalonia we sited 136 m depth that produced 648 m³/day in the state test.
What do you measure on site to pick the spot?
We run a fracture survey across the area you need supplied. The method is related to hammer seismic surveying, but in addition to the echo it records the resonant response of the ground. Software interprets both to show where a water‑bearing fracture runs, how deep it lies and how much water it can give. Field work usually takes 2–3 days.
This approach targets fractures explicitly, which is critical in granite, basalt, dolomite and under deep clay where water moves through narrow cracks rather than broad aquifer layers.
More on methods: Borehole siting methods.
What do you give us before drilling?
- Coordinates of the drilling point (one or more candidates for your demand).
- Depth to the water‑bearing zone.
- Forecast yield in m³ per day.
- Drilling specification, including rig type (an air‑flush rig; if drilling fluid is unavoidable, cellulose‑based only) and a casing plan for saline layers when relevant.
Details: Predict borehole yield.
Can you show where the exact siting changed the outcome?
| Site | Before | Result | Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitterfirmiansreut, Germany (granite hilltop) | Four dry boreholes up to 118 m | Water at 22 m, 47 m from a dry hole | 200 m³/day |
| Catalonia, Spain (100+ m of clay) | Several failed boreholes | Water at 136 m; state pumping test | 648 m³/day |
| Ulrichstein, Germany (basalt hills) | Every previous borehole failed | ≈200 m well, static level 87 m | 300+ m³/day |
| South Africa (dolomite), 2 farms | Five dry boreholes, one salty | Fresh water at 14 m and 97 m | 86 + 260 m³/day |
Further examples in hard rock: Find water in granite and Hard‑rock borehole yield.
How do you confirm the spot and yield after drilling?
When the water‑bearing zone is reached, a pumping test measures the real yield and compares it with the forecast in the report. In Catalonia the official state pumping test confirmed 648 m³ per day at 136 m. In Saudi Arabia the first artesian water came at 43 m as forecast, and the main source at 150 m gives 1,000 m³ per day.
Our discovery fee is due only after the pumping test confirms water at the specified point and depth. If a borehole drilled there doesn’t deliver, there is no discovery fee. See: Pay only if water is found.
What are the limits and alternatives?
- No guaranteed results: fractured‑rock sites can be highly local, and a borehole a few metres off a fracture can be dry. This is why we micro‑site and verify with a pumping test.
- Layer‑based surveys and map‑based siting often return negative forecasts in granite, basalt, dolomite or deep clay because broad aquifer layers are absent; targeting fractures is the difference.
- We do not drill; you contract a licensed local driller who works to our point, depth and specification.
- Across the projects shown here, water‑bearing zones were reached from 14 m to 150 m, with measured yields from 86 m³/day to 1,000 m³/day; your site is quoted individually.
If you started with a dry hole, read: Dry borehole: what next.
Sources
Questions
How close can your point be to a failed borehole?
It depends on the fracture geometry. On a Bavarian granite hilltop we found water 47 m from a dry 118 m hole, at 22 m depth giving 200 m³/day.
How long does the on‑site work take?
Typically 2–3 days on site, followed by lab analysis and the report.
Do you specify depth and casing, or just a GPS point?
The report includes coordinates, the depth to the water‑bearing zone, forecast yield and a drilling specification, including rig type and casing plan for saline layers where relevant.
What will it cost?
Surveys are quoted per site after the first call. See details here: <a href="/en/answers/water-survey-cost/">How much does a groundwater survey cost?</a>