# Sand in borehole water: why it happens and how to stop it

> Where sand in borehole water comes from, how to develop a new borehole, how deep to hang the pump and which filter to fit so sand does not wreck the pump and appliances.

Web page: https://watertrade.com.ua/en/articles/article/pesok-iz-skvazhiny · Other languages: [UA](https://watertrade.com.ua/articles/article/pesok-iz-skvazhiny.md), [RU](https://watertrade.com.ua/ru/articles/article/pesok-iz-skvazhiny.md)

*November 9, 2026*

![Diagram: borehole with the pump hung above the screen, sand at the bottom, clearance from the bottom to the pump and a mesh filter at the surface](https://watertrade.com.ua/uploads/articles/borehole-sand.jpg)

A little sand in the first days after drilling is normal. But if the water is still cloudy a month later and sand settles in a bucket, the pump wears out several times faster and taps and the water heater clog up. The cause can almost always be found and fixed without drilling again.

## What the diagram shows

1 — the pump hung above the screened section of the borehole, 2 — sand settled at the bottom, 3 — clearance between the pump and the bottom, 4 — a mesh filter at the surface.

## Why sand comes through

- **The borehole was not developed after drilling.** Fine sand and clay around the screen keep coming out for months unless they are flushed out straight away.
- **The pump hangs too low.** It works right at the bottom and stirs up the sediment itself.
- **The pump is too powerful for the borehole.** A high flow draws sand in from the aquifer. A sign of this is water turning cloudy towards the end of long use.
- **The borehole screen or casing is damaged.** Then there is a lot of coarse sand, and you need a driller.

## How to develop a new borehole

1. Do not use your main pump: sand wears out the impellers of a centrifugal pump. Use a cheap vibration pump instead.
2. Lower the pump close to the bottom, but do not rest it on the bottom. Pump with breaks so the motor does not overheat, and raise the pump by half a metre from time to time.
3. Keep pumping until the water in a bucket is clear and leaves no sediment. This can take from a few hours to several days.
4. If a lot of sediment has collected at the bottom, remove it with a bailer — a heavy tube with a valve on a cable.

## Where to hang the main pump

A submersible pump is hung above the screened section, usually at least one metre above the bottom, and always well below the dynamic water level. The borehole depth, water level and yield are given in the borehole log — see [“How to choose a borehole pump”](https://watertrade.com.ua/en/articles/article/vybor-skvazhinnogo-nasosa) for more.

## How to protect the house

- A rinsable mesh filter right after the pump or pressure tank catches sand and is easy to clean. See [“A mesh filter at the house inlet”](https://watertrade.com.ua/en/articles/article/setchatyj-filtr-ustanovka-promyvka).
- After the mesh, a housing with a 20–50 µm sediment cartridge for finer particles.
- If sand only comes through during heavy use, reduce the flow: fit a smaller pump or throttle the outlet valve.

> Do not let the pump run dry while developing the borehole: heavy pumping lowers the water level. If the pump has no dry-run protection, watch the flow and take breaks.

Borehole pumps are in [pumps](https://watertrade.com.ua/en/catalogue/nasosy); mesh filters and cartridges are in [water filters](https://watertrade.com.ua/en/catalogue/filtry-dla-vody).

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