Marshall Islands
Sand Origin
Eneko beach
Random Sand Fact
In the Marshall Islands, drinking water floats in sand, on top of seawater.
The islands are low, and the ground is mostly coral sand. When it rains, water seeps down between the grains. Because fresh water is lighter than salt water, it settles as a lens on top of the seawater that has seeped in beneath the island.
The water is pumped up from wells. On the main atoll, such a lens is the largest natural source of water, and when the rain fails, that is where people turn. On the outer islands, many households live entirely on groundwater resting on top of seawater.
