Choosing the right pump for your borehole is as important as choosing the right drilling location. A pump that is mismatched to the application — too powerful, too weak, or the wrong type entirely — will underperform from the start and may fail prematurely. Understanding the fundamental difference between submersible pumps and hand pumps helps you make a better-informed decision from the outset.
This guide covers what each pump type is, how it works, and the situations in which each is the right choice for a South African borehole installation.
What Is a Submersible Pump?
A submersible pump is an electrically powered pump installed deep inside the borehole casing, fully submerged below the water level. The pump body, motor, and impellers are all housed in a single sealed unit that is lowered into the borehole on a rising main — a pipe that carries water from the pump to the surface.
Because the pump operates submerged, it pushes water upward through the rising main rather than pulling it from above. This is important: pushing water is far more efficient than pulling it, which is why submersible pumps can operate effectively at depths far beyond the theoretical suction limit of surface-mounted pumps.
A submersible pump is connected at the surface to a control panel that manages starting, stopping, and protection functions. The panel can include a float switch linked to an overhead tank (switching the pump off when the tank is full and on when it drops below a set level), dry-run protection (cutting power if the water level drops below the pump intake), and manual override controls.
What Is a Hand Pump?
A hand pump is a manually operated device that lifts water from the borehole using a piston mechanism driven by a lever arm. The operator pumps the handle up and down, which drives a piston in the cylinder below the water surface, lifting water to a spout at the top.
Hand pumps require no electricity and have no electronic components. They are robust, simple to maintain, and can be repaired by a trained local technician without specialist tools or parts. These characteristics make them particularly suitable for remote locations, off-grid applications, and community water supply projects where consistent electricity and technical support are not available.
Hand pump depth ratings vary by model and manufacturer. Standard installations suit shallower water levels, while deep-well variants are engineered for boreholes with greater standing water depth. Your borehole contractor should specify the correct model based on the water level encountered during drilling.
When Is a Submersible Pump the Right Choice?
Submersible pumps are the right choice for the large majority of residential, agricultural, and commercial borehole installations in South Africa. Choose a submersible pump when:
- The property has reliable access to electricity (grid, solar, or battery backup)
- Significant daily water volumes are required — household supply, irrigation, livestock, or commercial use
- The borehole is to be connected to an overhead storage tank or pressurised distribution system
- Automation is required — the pump must fill a tank and switch off without manual intervention
- The water level inside the borehole is at depth beyond practical hand-pump operation
Submersible pumps deliver pressurised water on demand, can be configured to run on solar or battery power, and integrate cleanly with automatic tank-fill systems. They are the foundation of any turnkey borehole water supply installation.
When Is a Hand Pump the Right Choice?
Hand pumps remain the right choice for specific scenarios despite the dominance of submersible systems in the market. Choose a hand pump when:
- The installation is completely off-grid with no feasible solar or generator power option
- Daily water demand is low — a hand pump for personal or small-household use at a remote property
- The borehole is intended as an emergency backup alongside an existing submersible pump system
- The installation is for a community water point in a rural area where simplicity and local repairability are priorities
- Long-term maintenance support is expected to come from non-specialist local sources
Hand pumps are not well suited to high-volume demand, deep water levels, or applications requiring automated operation. For most South African residential or commercial borehole installations, a submersible pump is more practical.
Comparison of Key Factors
| Factor | Submersible Pump | Hand Pump |
|---|---|---|
| Power required | Electricity (grid, solar, or battery) | Manual effort only |
| Water volume capacity | High — suited to all scales of demand | Limited by manual operation rate |
| Automation | Yes — can run automatically with controls | No — requires manual operation each use |
| Borehole depth suitability | Suited to deep boreholes | Model-dependent; standard to deep-well variants |
| Maintenance | Requires specialist pump service | Can be serviced by trained local technician |
| Upfront infrastructure | Control panel, rising main, wiring | Minimal — pump body and headwork only |
| Load shedding resilience | Requires solar/battery backup for independence | Fully independent of electricity |
| Best suited to | Residential, agricultural, commercial | Remote, off-grid, community, backup |
Pump Depth and Borehole Requirements
Both pump types have minimum borehole casing diameter requirements that must be confirmed before a pump is specified. The pump body must fit inside the casing with clearance — there is no flexibility on this dimension once the borehole is drilled and cased.
The standing water level inside the borehole — established during or after drilling — determines the minimum installation depth for a submersible pump. The pump intake must remain submerged even when the borehole is being pumped at its working flow rate. Dry-run protection on the control panel provides a safety cutoff if the water level drops to the intake, but correct pump depth selection minimises the risk of this occurring during normal operation.
Important: Never attempt to specify or install a borehole pump without knowing the standing water level and the borehole's working flow rate. A pump that exceeds the borehole's sustainable yield will draw the water level down to the pump intake and trip on dry-run protection repeatedly — reducing pump life and water delivery. Everest Drilling establishes these parameters during the drilling phase before any pump is specified.
What Everest Installs
Everest Drilling supplies and installs both submersible pump sets and hand pumps as part of complete borehole projects. Pump selection is made on a project-specific basis after the borehole has been drilled and the water level established — not before.
All submersible pump installations include a surface-mounted control panel, rising main, pump cable, and headwork sealing. Tank-fill automation is available as a standard configuration. For solar-powered installations, Everest can advise on pump specifications compatible with your intended solar or battery system — the pump motor must be correctly matched to the power supply for reliable, efficient operation.
The full borehole installation process — from geophysical survey through drilling, casing, pump installation, and commissioning — is described in our step-by-step drilling process guide.
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Need Help Choosing the Right Pump?
Everest Drilling specifies and installs the correct pump for your borehole after drilling — not before. Contact us to discuss your project requirements.