5 Reasons Why There is Sand in Your Well Water (And Solutions)

Sand in well water likely indicates a problem with one or more of the well water system setup, either the pump is too low, the pump's pressure is too high or the well screen is degraded.

Here's a tabular view of the possible causes and their solution.

1. The Well Pump is Too Low

If your well pump is set too low in the well, it can start to pump sand into your water supply. This is because the sand that has settled at the bottom of the well starts to be drawn into the pump and, as a result, contaminates the water been drawn out of the well.

Typically, your well pump should be 10 to 20 feet above the base of the well. If it is set any lower than this or has fallen below this, then it's going to pump sand alongside the water.

How to fix low well water pump:

The solution here is simple: ensure your well pump is 10 – 20 ft above the bottom of the well.

2. The Well Screen Casing is Degraded

If your well screen is degraded, sand and sediment will start to leak in from the surrounding groundwater.

But why do well screen casings degrade? Well, they degrade over time due to corrosion or wear and tear.

During the drilling process, the well screen is lined with PVC, iron, and steel to form a casing that prevents sediments from entering the well. The well casing has grooves that allow groundwater to flow into the well but keep sand and sediments at bay. Over time, the screen can wear away and corrode or degrade. This makes it possible for silt and sand to enter your well.

How to fix a damaged well screen:

If your well casing is damaged beyond reasonable repair, you’ll need to install a new one. Installing a new casing is a time-consuming process that requires the services of a professional. However, they should be able to install a new screen while maintaining the well structure.

The process of installing a new casing is multi-faceted. It starts with the screen design; then the soil is drilled to add a screen centralizer. Centralizers are usually made from PVC casing or flexible wood. Once they’re in place, the screen is installed by gluing the PVC.

The cost of installing a new well screen ranges from $6 per foot of PVC to over $120 per foot if you choose stainless steel. From here, it all depends on the surface of the casing, the depth of the well, and the soil surrounding it. The final cost can be anywhere from $300 to $3000.

That being said, some well casings are so old or have such a narrow diameter that it’s just not feasible to add to what’s already there. In this case, the only solution would be to replace your well entirely.

3. The Well Pump Pressure is too High

If the pressure of your well pump is too high, it will draw in water with too much power. This disturbs the settled sand within the well, which is then released into the water. Therefore, the pump will draw in well water that’s full of sand.

This is not only bad for the water quality, but it can eventually damage the pump. The constant flow of sand at such high pressure affects the pump’s valves and causes even more sand build-up inside the well.

How to fix a high-pressure pump:

The easy fix is to reduce the pump’s pressure, or if that’s not an option, get a less powerful pump that will be a better fit for your well.

If you do need to replace your pump, there are plenty of different options on the market. Prices range from $300–$500 for a standard pump and can cost as much as $4,000 for the more high-end pumps.

4. Old Well Shaft

Over time, Old wells tend to accumulate sand and other debris within the well shaft. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to prevent this as it’s bound to happen once a well reaches a certain age.

How to fix an old well shaft with sand debris:

Getting a new well shaft is the only viable solution. You can try to place a case around the shaft and isolate it that way, but a good casing will probably cost you as much as replacing the whole shaft. A new shaft will cost you about $7,500, but the final cost depends on the type and diameter of your well.

5. There's A Hole in the Drop Pipe

If your water is sandy and you’ve noticed that the water pressure in your home is fluctuating wildly, it’s probably due to a hole in the well’s drop pipe. When this happens, the system’s normal cycle is disrupted, which causes the pump to turn itself on and off constantly.

Each time the pump restarts, it sucks in a fresh wave of sand, which quickly wears down your pump and pressure tank.

How to fix a leaky drop pipe:

The solution here is to pull the drop pipe out of the well and inspect it for holes. If you notice any holes, you’ll need to replace the damaged section of pipe.

However, unless you have a lot of experience with maintaining wells, we wouldn’t recommend removing the pipe or replacing it yourself. If you do, you could cause damage to other well components. Usually, it’s best to hire a professional to do this for you.

A new one-inch drop pipe will cost you anywhere from $135 to $400 per 100 feet.

Additional Tips for Dealing With Sand in your Well Water

Now that we’ve discussed the 5 most common culprits behind sand in your well water, here are some additional tips to foolproof your well water system.

Always Reach Out to a Professional When in Doubt

The best course of action if you’re not an expert or haven’t positively identified the exact cause of the problem is to get professional help.

Professionals have advanced tools that you may not have at your disposal, such as well cameras used to inspect the entirety of the well for damage.

Consider Installing a Centrifugal Sand Separator

You should consider installing a centrifugal sand separator between the pressure tank and the well to filter sand and sediment before they enter the home. A centrifugal separator is a machine that uses centrifugal, gravitational, and inertial forces to divide two or more substances. It has an efficiency rate of up to 98% on all mesh particles.

For wells, a centrifugal separator works by pulling large particles in the water into a separator. Gravity then separates the solid particles from liquids, making it possible for the water to rise above sand and other solid particles.

When the separator chamber gets filled with sand, you’ll have to drain it by loosening the ball valve, usually located at the bottom of the separator. This can be done either manually or automatically, depending on whether your system has an auto-flushing valve.

Consider Using a Spin-down Filter

If you don’t want to invest in a full-fledged centrifugal sand separator, installing a spin-down filter is another alternative to consider.

Spin-down filters trap and separate large chunks of sand and debris in the water, similar to how a centrifugal sand separator works. However, it may not be the best option if there’s a lot of sand in your water, as in this case, it will require constant cleaning/maintenance. Installing a spin filter may also cause a drop in your home’s water pressure.