Borehole overpricing: DAZ calls for early surveyor engagement

The Drillers Association of Zambia (DAZ) has urged members of the public to engage water surveyors before conducting drilling to avoid overpricing due to dry boreholes. Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times— ZBT, DAZ President Christopher Chilongo observed that most of the complaints about drillers charging more are due to a lack of professional consultation.

He revealed that in recent years the water table has drastically changed in most areas around Lusaka, emphasizing that it is almost impossible to find water at the depth of 50 meters.

“When the client is told a minimum of 50 meters, you can give me K14,000; when they don’t find water and they say, ‘Can we go an extra depth?’ to go beyond that, you can pay twice as much; as a result, it can cost as much as K60,000,’” he added.

“Science calls for getting the sighting or geophysical investigation. This is a digital technology proven by science; when it gives a report about water being at 70 meters, that is exactly the case.”

Chilongo emphasized most members of the public are being swindled out of their hardearned funds due to a lack of knowledge on the importance of engaging experts from the Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA).

Article by Samuel Mutale