What's in Your Bore Water and What to Do First Before Getting a Water Filter? [VIDEO]

Have you ever wondered about where that clear water from the tap comes from out in the bush, or even sometimes in the suburbs? Chances are, it might be bore water. But what exactly is bore water, and how do you make sure it’s safe to drink, especially if you’re thinking about using a water filter? Let's dive in and sort it out.

At its heart, bore water is pretty straightforward: it’s groundwater. We’re talking about water that’s been sitting underground, sometimes for years, in natural storages called aquifers. To get to it, you drill a bore, which is a deep hole, down into these aquifers and then pump the water up to the surface.

You might have a bore on your own block, just like the one in the video below. It’s a common sight in rural Australia, on farms and larger properties where town water just doesn’t reach. But here’s something that might surprise you: a fair few of our capital cities and larger regional towns are increasingly turning to bore water to supplement their main water supplies. They tap into these underground reserves to top up the dams, especially when the rain water is not enough.

Sounds like a clever idea, and in many ways it is, but it can bring a few unexpected surprises to your household taps if you're on town supply that's being topped up. One of the most common things we see is an increase in calcium. This isn't necessarily a bad thing in small doses, but when you’ve got a constant flow of high-calcium water, it can start to cause problems. Over time, it can even disrupt your body's mineral balance and possibly strip away beneficial minerals. It can also eat away at your tapware, which can cause limescale forming on your taps, showerheads and inside your kettle. Other than being a nuisance, it can also shorten the life of your appliances.

The thing about bore water is that its acidity changes depending on where you are. In some areas, the water is naturally acidic, meaning it has a low pH. This acidic water can be quite aggressive, not only to your plumbing, but it can also leach metals like copper and lead from your pipes. More importantly, it's not ideal for your body.

In other areas, bore water can have a lot of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. This can lead to what we call 'hard water'. But it doesn’t stop there. You can also find other contaminants like iron, which can stain your laundry and sinks. Sometimes, bore water may also contain more concerning heavy metals such as arsenic or manganese.

This is the million-dollar question, isn't it? Is bore water safe to drink? The short answer is: it depends on what’s in it. And the only way to know that is to get it tested.

We’ve got customers spread all across Australia, and we’ve heard stories of customers who’ve gotten sick from drinking water that isn't suitable for drinking. It’s not something you want to take a gamble on, especially when your family’s health is on the line.

Therefore, before you drink water from a bore or use it for anything that involves consumption, it's best to get it tested by a reputable laboratory.

We have customers that call up and say:

The truth is, we can sell you $15,000 worth of water filtration equipment, and the water will come out the other end beautiful and clean. But this is a shotgun approach because you are trying to remove everything out of the water, so there are no nasties in it.

Generally speaking, bore water should not be used for:

• Drinking: Consuming untested tap water could be dangerous to your health, as it might contain heavy metals and contaminants.

• Bathing or Showering: Your skin is your body’s largest organ and can absorb contaminants. Plus, inhaling steam from contaminated water in a hot shower can be dangerous.

• Watering Edible Plants: Plants can take up heavy metals or other chemicals from the water, which then end up on your dinner plate.

• Filling Swimming Pools and Paddling Pools: Again, skin absorption and accidental ingestion are real risks.

• Food Preparation or Cooking: Contaminants can become concentrated during cooking or get into your food.

If that bore is your only source of water, or if you rely on it to see you through when your rainwater tanks run dry, then getting a comprehensive water analysis done is an absolute must. We’re not talking about a massive expense here, as it's usually just a couple of hundred dollars. For that, you get peace of mind and a clear roadmap of exactly what’s in your water and what you need to do about it.

Test the water at least once a year. Groundwater conditions can change due to things like drought, heavy rains, nearby agricultural activity or even new industrial developments miles away that you’d never think could affect you. An annual check-up keeps you in the know.

Once you have received the full report on your water supply, you can see everything that you're going to be consuming and what needs to be treated using a water filter.

You'll see the pH level of the water, which tells you how acidic or alkaline your water is. You’ll also get readings for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) , which is a measure of all the dissolved salts, mineral, and metals. It’ll break down the levels of specific minerals like calcium and magnesium and flag any metals that might be present such as iron, manganese, copper, lead, arsenic and so on. It should also screen for common bacteriological contamination, like E. coli and other coliforms, which can make you seriously ill.

With this report, you'll know precisely what needs to be treated with a water filtration or purification system.

If any water filtration company tries to sell you a solution for your bore water without seeing a recent water analysis report first, they are basically just guessing. It’s absolutely vital to have this analysis done to make sure nothing critical is missed and that you get a system that’s perfectly tailored to your specific water.

Okay, so now you know it’s possible to make your bore water drinkable (with the right steps, of course). What’s the next move?

The reality is that water filters just aren't quite enough to remove all of the minerals, as they're simply too fine and just flow straight through. These fine particles are so tiny they can often flow straight through a standard filter.

But don’t lose hope! If you’re using bore water, there are a number of technologies available to clean it up properly. Some of the best options include:

• Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water Filters: These systems are the gold standard for removing a massive range of contaminants, including dissolved salts, heavy metals, nitrates, fluoride and even PFAS chemicals. They use a very fine membrane that squeezes water molecules through while removing the vast majority of contaminants.

• Ultraviolet (UV) Filtration: If your water test shows up any bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms, a UV steriliser is your best choice. It uses UV light to kill these pathogens, rendering them harmless without adding any chemicals to the water. It’s often used as a final step after other filtration.

• Hard Water Filters: If your main issue is hard water that has lots of calcium and magnesium, an ion exchange water softener can physically remove these minerals, giving you truly soft water that’s kinder on your appliances.

• Hard Water Conditioners: These are a bit different from softeners. A good quality hard water conditioner, like the Limetron Hard Water Conditioner (which has been a top seller in 50 countries for over 50 years and is pretty affordable), doesn't actually remove the calcium and magnesium. Instead, it changes the physical structure of these minerals so they can't easily form limescale on your pipes and appliances. It's a great solution for scale prevention without altering the water's mineral composition too much. 

If you want to learn more about how these tackle hard water, it's worth checking out other options available.

Even if you're leaning towards a specific solution like a hard water conditioner, it is still essential to get your water tested first. That test will tell you what other contaminants might be lurking in your water supply that a conditioner alone won’t touch.

If you’ve had your water tested and it clearly shows chemical and microbiological contamination, then yes, you can definitely use a water filter or a combination of purification methods to make it safe and drinkable. But there are a few more crucial things to do before you buy a filter.

If you’re looking at a new property with an existing bore, or you're planning to put a new bore down, the very first question is: how much water is actually down there? And, just as importantly, what’s its recovery rate? Is it going to be enough to meet your household’s needs – drinking, washing, maybe some garden watering – all year round, even through a dry spell?

Out in the country, bore water is often the only option available, and when managed properly, it can be a fantastic, reliable source. But you need to know its limits.

If you haven’t done so already, get that comprehensive bore water analysis done by a reputable, independent laboratory. Once you have the report, you can refer to it to choose a filtration system that will specifically target the contaminants present in your water to give you the best quality drinking water.

Pay close attention to the pH level in your water analysis. The water from that particular bore in the video above, registered a pH of 6, which is a little too acidic. Consistently drinking acidic water can, over time, potentially lead to health issues. Some believe it can leach minerals from your body and generally isn't great for your internal tissues.

We recommend aiming for water with a pH of around 7 (which is neutral) or slightly above (alkaline) for drinking. This helps avoid any potential issues from acidic water stripping beneficial minerals or upsetting your body’s natural balance. If your water is acidic, don’t stress – there are ways to correct it as part of your filtration system, often using a calcite filter that slowly dissolves to raise the pH.

Do you drink bore water at your place? If so, what’s your experience been like? How does it taste once you've got it treated? We’d love to hear about it.