From Trickle to Torrent – Restoring a Farmer’s Bore with BoreSaver Ultra C

When a local orchardist rang us in frustration about his bore, the problem sounded urgent. His once-reliable water supply had slowed to a dribble, and his trees were suffering. He suspected a pump issue, but the real culprit turned out to be much more insidious.

On arrival, we decided the best way to see what was going on was to cut into the pipeline. The moment we did, the answer was staring us in the face — the inside of the pipe was coated with thick, rust-coloured deposits, blocking almost 80% of the flow path.

This was a textbook case of iron-related bacteria (IRB) at work. Over time, these microorganisms had thrived in the bore, producing iron oxide that stuck to the pipe walls and choked the water supply. Not only was the bore struggling, but the build-up was so severe that cleaning the existing pipeline would have been more expensive and time-consuming than simply replacing it. Luckily, the line lay above ground, so swapping it out was straightforward.

For the bore itself, we treated it with BoreSaver Ultra C — a proven cleaning solution designed to remove iron oxide, iron bacteria, and related deposits safely and effectively. The treatment dissolved the blockages within the bore, restoring its performance to full capacity.

Within hours, the farmer’s bore was back in action, delivering strong, clean flow to the orchard. The transformation was remarkable — and a reminder of just how damaging iron bacteria can be if left unchecked.

If your bore has reduced output, strange-tasting water, or staining around fittings, it might be suffering from the same issue. Catching it early can save you from bigger headaches down the track.