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Nicholls
Water well and irrigation system — Nicholls Water Solutions
196+ projects in Surrey

Water Boreholes & Ground Source Heat Pumps in Surrey

Over 196 projects completed across Surrey. Free site assessments and no-obligation estimates.

Surrey is one of our most active counties with 196 completed projects. From the chalk of the North Downs through the Greensand ridge to the Wealden Clay in the south, we have extensive experience across every geology type in the county. Our teams regularly work in Guildford, Godalming, Cranleigh, Dorking, Farnham and across the Surrey Hills.

Services available in Surrey

Full range of water, ground source and licensing services — delivered by our in-house team.

Water Boreholes

Private water supply for Surrey homes, farms and commercial properties.

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Ground Source Heat Pumps

Closed-loop and open-loop GSHP systems for Surrey properties.

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Deep Bore Soakaways

Storm water drainage solutions across Surrey's variable geology.

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Servicing & Maintenance

Ongoing monitoring and maintenance across Surrey.

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Water Licensing

EA abstraction licence applications for Surrey sites.

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Local geology in Surrey

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Surrey's geology varies significantly across the county. The North Downs chalk gives way to Greensand, Lower Greensand and Wealden Clay as you move south. Borehole depths and water quality differ considerably across even short distances — which is why a local desk study and site assessment is always the starting point. The Godalming and Cranleigh areas (our strongest coverage) typically sit on productive Greensand formations.

Every site is different. A desk-based geological assessment is always the starting point for any project.

Our projects in Surrey

4,000+ boreholes drilled across the UK

Our interactive project map loads when it's ready. In the meantime, here's where we've been working — across West Sussex (227 projects), Surrey (196), Hampshire (111), East Sussex (87), Kent (70) and across the wider South of England, including Wiltshire and Dorset.

Water boreholes · Ground source heat pumps · Deep bore soakaways · Over 1,500 completed projects since 2003.

Case studies in Surrey

A selection of projects we've completed across Surrey.

Waterwell Borehole for a Private School in Surrey
Water BoreholeEducation

Waterwell Borehole for a Private School in Surrey

Due to the required daily water usage, an Abstraction Licence was required from the Environment Agency. Our Nicholls Licensing and Consulting team undertook all aspects for the client.

44kW GSHP System for a Large Residential Property, Surrey
Closed-loop GSHPResidential

44kW GSHP System for a Large Residential Property, Surrey

The Nicholls team undertook the GSHP design for the property and assessed the geological conditions below the site, where we had previously installed a system locally.

Water Borehole at Reigate Heath Golf Club
Water BoreholeCommercial

Water Borehole at Reigate Heath Golf Club

Nicholls installed a 70m water borehole at Reigate Heath Golf Club in Surrey, providing untreated irrigation water for course maintenance. The borehole eliminates the need for expensive mains water...

GSHP for Grade II Listed Surrey Farmhouse
Closed-loop GSHPResidential

GSHP for Grade II Listed Surrey Farmhouse

As part of an extensive refurbishment, our client wanted to be as sustainable as possible with the installation of a long-lasting renewable energy heating system for their Grade II listed Surrey fa...

Sustainable Heating & Cooling for the Runnymede Hotel
River Source GSHPHospitality

Sustainable Heating & Cooling for the Runnymede Hotel

With the hotel being located directly on the River Thames, an open-loop river source heat pump was the ideal solution — providing both heating in winter and cooling in summer from the same system.

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Areas we cover in Surrey

We cover all of Surrey including:

GuildfordGodalmingDorkingCranleighFarnhamVirginia WaterShereReigateHaslemere

Local landing pages

Detailed pages for towns we work in across Surrey:

DorkingGuildfordFarnhamWindlesham

Not sure if we cover your area? Complete our enquiry form and we'll confirm.

Other areas we cover

West Sussex (227)Hampshire (111)East Sussex (87)Kent (70)Buckinghamshire (39)Essex (38)Hertfordshire (28)London (80)Oxfordshire (18)Wiltshire (12)Suffolk (8)Cornwall (3)Somerset (4)

Common questions about Surrey

Quick answers to the questions we hear most often from Surrey residential, commercial and agricultural clients.

How deep does a water borehole need to be in Surrey?
Surrey's geology shifts dramatically across the county. The North Downs chalk runs from Guildford east to Dorking and Reigate — productive groundwater at 30-80m. Moving south, Lower Greensand around Cranleigh and Haslemere gives way to Wealden Clay where boreholes typically need 80-120m to reach the underlying sandstone. We do a desk-based geological assessment using BGS data and our 196+ Surrey project records before any drill date is set.
How much does borehole drilling in Surrey cost?
Residential water boreholes in Surrey typically cost £10,000-£20,000 depending on depth, distance from the plant room and any treatment requirements. Commercial sites in £20,000-£60,000+. Surrey's strong groundwater conditions and our local catchment mean depth and access are usually the cost drivers, not treatment. We provide a fixed written estimate after a free site assessment.
Are you an MCS heat pump installer in Surrey?
Yes. We're MCS-certified for ground source heat pumps and have been installing GSHPs across Surrey since 2008. The BUS grant (£9,000 oil/LPG/electric or £7,500 mains gas) is deducted from your installation cost up front — we handle the application as part of our service. Particularly active around Dorking, Guildford, Farnham and the Cranleigh / Godalming corridor.
Do you cover Guildford, Dorking, Farnham, Cranleigh and the Surrey Hills?
Yes — all of these. Surrey is our second-most-active county (196 completed projects), and we have dedicated landing pages for our most-requested Surrey towns including Guildford, Dorking, Farnham and Windlesham. The Cranleigh / Godalming corridor in particular has been a consistent area of work for us over many years.
Will a ground source heat pump work on my Surrey property?
Almost certainly. The chalk in north Surrey gives excellent open-loop GSHP conditions (10-12°C groundwater year-round). The Greensand and clay areas south of the Downs work very well for closed-loop systems. Our compact rigs fit through 5ft access gaps so most Surrey gardens are workable, even in dense suburban areas.
Do I need an Environment Agency abstraction licence in Surrey?
Only above 20m³/day (about 4,400 gallons) — most domestic and small commercial sites don't need a licence. Larger sites do, and our in-house Licensing & Consulting team handles the application including the hydrogeological reports the Environment Agency typically requests. Surrey is part of the EA's water-stressed designation, so larger abstractions get particularly close scrutiny — having a specialist hydrogeologist on the application improves outcomes materially.

Ready to discuss your Surrey project?

Request a free, no-obligation site assessment. We'll review your geology, assess your needs and provide an accurate written estimate.

Request a Site Assessment