
Water bore monitoring is a necessary work to do to monitor the groundwater condition. It helps to monitor if the groundwater level is where it should be or if there is contamination in the water.
You might not understand this but groundwater is such a critical natural resource that often goes unnoticed. Especially in Australia, where people depend on bore water as the main source of water supply, bore water monitoring and management is necessary.
If your goal is sustainable water management then monitoring water bore is significantly important. Through bore water monitoring you can know the water level, water health and any possible issues with your pumping system. So, let’s start the discussion by understanding water bore monitoring.
What Is Water Bore Monitoring?
You can consider it as a sustainable way to manage the most valuable of natural resources – water. With water bore monitoring, you can understand if the groundwater is contaminated or contain a regular pH value, and also analyse the groundwater level.
Water bore monitoring is essential in agriculture, mining or municipal supply. In Australia people depend on water bores to get the required water for daily use. As the country experiences frequent drought and fewer sources of freshwater, water bore monitoring is important.
How Water Bore Monitoring Works
Skill professionals use specific tools such as piezometers, data loggers, flow metres and other tools to monitor water health. Through these monitoring you can understand the groundwater level, flow rates, water pH level, salinity and others.
You can also know if there is any contamination in the groundwater. The water bore monitoring system is essential to know valuable information about the groundwater.
Why Bore Monitoring Is Vital for Groundwater Management
As stated above, Australia depends on water bores to get freshwater for daily use or for irrigation. So, bore water monitoring is essential for the community.
There are several benefits of bore monitoring when it comes to groundwater management. If you know that the water has the perfect pH level for consumption, or the water salinity is safe to use, you might not waste time in filtering it. On the contrary, if you see the groundwater has a bit of contamination from any industrial sources, you will stop using it for regular needs.
Environmental site assessments might reveal the cause of water contamination.
Similarly, if you notice that the groundwater level has decreased over the time, you understand that there is an over extraction of water. So you can take necessary measures to maintain ground water level.
Besides, you need to monitor the water level in your water bore, at least once a month. First, measure the water level before starting the pump and then again measure immediately after starting the pump. If the water level in both cases decreases over the time, it means you are extracting more water than is being recharged in the bore.
Otherwise, hire a licensed professional organisation to get the job done.
Key Regulations and Reporting Standards
The Australian National Water Quality Management Strategy is an initiative by the Australian Government in partnership with the state governments. The policy is dedicated to maintain and manage water quality in the country, an essential component of national environmental site assessment protocols. The policy also offers benchmarks and targets to manage water quality in the country.
If you want to manage the water quality in water bores, you have to follow the water quality benchmark set in the policy.
When you continually monitor the water bore, the collected data can be used in reporting. It helps in following the regulatory compliance in the country.
How to Implement an Effective Bore Monitoring Program
To complete the bore monitoring programme effectively, you need to select a site for placing the bore. You should hire a certified driller to place the bore in the right place. Also you should ensure that the monitoring professional has the right equipment to monitor the bore water.
Get in touch with companies that offer a complete water monitoring solution. It should include proper data logging, data analysis and once or twice a month monitoring the bore water.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Bore Monitoring
If you want to monitor the water bores, mistakes are a common thing. But you have to be careful not to repeat them. Some common mistakes might include irregular monitoring schedules, using outdated equipment and others.
If you do not have a regular and defined monitoring schedule, your collected data will give false truth. Moreover, using outdated equipment to monitor the water quality will also give a false result of the water quality.
Finally, if you incorporate the false data in water management, the end result will not be an accurate one.
Hire a Licenced Company for Bore Water Monitoring
If you want to properly monitor bore water, monitor the water samples periodically. Use proper equipment and monitor using skilled personnel. So, hire a licensed company who has experience in bore water monitoring in Australia. It will help you monitor the water body and get accurate results.