Liberia
Sand Origin
Brewerville, Parker Conner, Montserrado County
Random Sand Fact
One of humanity’s oldest water filters is made of sand.
People have filtered water through sand for thousands of years. As water moves slowly between the grains, particles are trapped, while in properly functioning slow sand filters microorganisms living in the filter bed also help remove contaminants.
In Liberia, the method has also been documented in its simplest form: a bag filled with local sand, suspended above a bucket. Cloudy water is poured in at the top and drips out clearer below.
Such a simple filter does not automatically make water safe to drink. But the basic mechanism is the same: water is forced to pass between grains of sand.
