Boreholes are an effective way to tap into the water-bearing aquifer below the ground and pump the water to the surface. A borehole for extracting water consists essentially of a vertically drilled shaft, a strong lining (casing) to prevent collapse of the walls, which includes a means of allowing clean water to enter the borehole space (screen), surface protection, and a means of extracting water. The exploitation of groundwater is a complicated process that involves sinking a narrow shaft into the ground to reach the aquifer using a drilling rig.

Failure can occur when carrying out borehole drilling operations or using installed borehole systems, often caused by complications arising from poor maintenance and rehabilitation of boreholes, lack of expertise, poor choice of technology, and inadequate supervision of the drilling project. To prevent these complications, the following measures must be taken: proper maintenance and rehabilitation of boreholes, proper pump installation and maintenance, proper supervision of borehole projects, the use of appropriate drilling technology, and standardization of borehole design and drilling processes.