"Magic sand has also been tested by utility companies in the Arctic. The utilities bury electric and telephone wires to protect them from the harsh weather. However, if something needs repair during the winter, digging through frozen Arctic soil normally requires hours of work with power tools. To speed underground repairs, utility companies can cover electrical junction boxes with magic sand and cap the sand with just a few inches of soil. Rainwater flows around, not through, the magic sand and, when the soil freezes solid, the magic sand remains dry and loose. It is easy to break through the frozen cap, then shovel away the loose magic sand."