Why does my well water have sand, silt, and grit?

Private wells across Parker, Wise, Denton, Hood, and Tarrant counties draw from sandstone and limestone formations — the Paluxy, Trinity, and Woodbine aquifers. These formations naturally shed fine sand, silt, clay particles, and grit into the water column. Sediment can also enter your well from a deteriorating well screen, a pump set too close to the bottom of the borehole, or shifting formations after heavy rain or drought cycles.

What happens if sediment is not filtered out?

Sediment is more than a nuisance — it causes real damage:

• Clogged faucet aerators and showerheads that need constant cleaning
• Worn pump impellers and check valves — sand is abrasive and grinds down moving parts
• Damaged downstream filtration equipment — iron filters, softeners, and UV systems all require clean water to function properly
• Sediment buildup in your water heater, reducing efficiency and lifespan
• Cloudy, gritty water that is unpleasant to drink or cook with

Legacy Water Well matches the sediment filter type to your specific problem. There is no single filter that works best in every situation:

Spin-Down Separators

A spin-down filter uses centrifugal force to separate heavy particles (sand and grit) from the water stream. The sediment drops into a clear collection chamber that you flush with a valve — no cartridge to replace. Best for wells producing visible sand or coarse grit. Often used as a first-stage pre-filter to protect finer filtration downstream.

Cartridge Filters

Pleated or wound cartridge filters catch finer particles — typically rated at 5, 10, or 20 microns. Cartridges are inexpensive and easy to swap out every 3-6 months depending on sediment load. Best for moderate sediment levels or as a polishing stage after a spin-down.

Backwashing Sediment Filters

For wells with heavy, persistent sediment, a backwashing filter uses a media bed (such as Filter-Ag or Micro-Z) that automatically flushes trapped sediment to drain on a programmed schedule. No cartridges to replace. Best for high-sediment wells where cartridge filters would clog too quickly to be practical.

In many systems, we combine sediment filtration with iron removal, softening, and bacteria treatment as part of a whole-house filtration system.

Regardless of what other water quality issues your well has — iron, hardness, bacteria, sulfur — sediment filtration should always be the first stage in your treatment chain. Here is why:

• Iron filter media beds get fouled and channeled by sand and silt
• Softener resin gets physically damaged by abrasive particles
• UV disinfection requires clear water to be effective — turbidity blocks UV light from reaching bacteria
• Chlorine injection metering pumps can get clogged by grit

A properly sized sediment pre-filter protects every piece of equipment downstream and extends the life of your entire filtration system. It is the cheapest component in the chain but one of the most important.

If your well suddenly starts producing more sediment than usual, or you see sand in your water for the first time, it could indicate:

• A failing well screen — the screen at the bottom of your casing that keeps sand out may have corroded or broken
• Pump set too deep — if the pump is pulling from too close to the bottom of the well, it stirs up settled material
• Aquifer depletion — as water levels drop, the pump draws from sandier zones
• Casing damage — cracks or holes in the casing allow surface soil and sand to enter

In these cases, a filter treats the symptom but not the cause. We will identify the source of the sediment and recommend well repairs if needed, in addition to filtration.