Copyright August 1999, all rights reserved Sand is a contaminant in water supply systems. Even in minor concentrations in residential systems, it can plug shower heads and distort the pattern of faucet aerators. Single grains of sand can cause leakage of toilet flush valves and backflow prevention devices.
Water is wasted directly by leakage and indirectly by degrading the effectiveness of spray patterns.
Corrective action can range from the homeowner attempting to fix the problem to seeking the services of a plumber or other specialist. Sand also has a devastating effect on agricultural drip and sprinkler systems, causing plugging, abrasion and fouling. The city s water is obtained from wells located in a grid system spaced at approximately one-mile intervals. A regular characteristic of the water supplied by this well grid system is sand contamination. Sand contamination occurs from at least two sources.