Water drilling for waterworks, field irrigation or industry

Groundwater is extracted for several purposes, but is mostly used for drinking water, field irrigation and industry.

According to the Water Supply Act there must be an extraction permit to extract groundwater.

If you want to irrigate more or fewer areas than you have a permit for, or in the event of a change of ownership, you must notify the municipality, which can then give you a changed permit or a supplement to the original permit.

Can I water my fields or golf courses?

The way you extract groundwater for field irrigation must be as gentle as possible so that the impact on watercourses and the water level in the wetlands does not impair the animal and plant life in the aquatic environment. 

Where the criteria are met, the municipality normally grants permission to extract groundwater corresponding to 1.000 m3 per ha per year in the fields.

For irrigation of golf courses, permission is only granted to irrigate Greens and Teesteder. Here, 2.000 m³ per. ha. pr. year.

Read more about the rules for field drilling in the well drilling order

Do I have to make a replacement well or a new one?

If you want to make a replacement borehole because the original borehole no longer provides enough water or is broken, it must not be more than five meters away from the original borehole.

If you want to establish a replacement well, you must contact Water and Nature before you start the drilling work. Establishment, repair or alteration of a well or borehole may only take place when you have a permit.

Apply for new drilling or renewed permit for groundwater abstraction at the top of the page.

At the same time as you have a replacement borehole carried out, the existing borehole must be scrapped. 

May I extract surface water?

Surface water is water from streams and lakes. It is not permitted to extract surface and ground water without a permit.

Do I have to register the amount of groundwater that I pump?

All water supplies, with the exception of individual extractors, must record the total annual amount of groundwater pumped. Even if you have not pumped up water, this information must also be reported.

Every year in December, Sønderborg Municipality sends out a digital reporting form to the water supplies, where the water quantities must be indicated. The form is filled in and sent back to the municipality, Water and Nature Department, no later than 1 February each year. The municipality then reports this data to the common public database for groundwater and drinking water and wells (Jupiter).