Myth: More water, less resistance; It is observed that in some installations, to bring down the earth resistance value, buckets and buckets of water is poured into the earth pit (that too days just before the Electrical Inspector is due to arrive for inspecting the installation)
Fact: Below 20 percent, the resistivity increases abruptly with the decrease in moisture content. A difference of a few percent moisture content will, therefore, have a marked difference in the soil resistivity, if moisture content falls below 20 percent. If the moisture content is already above 20 percent, there is no point in adding barrels of water into the earth pit, except perhaps wasting an important and scarce national resource like water.

Myth: More salt, less resistance; the author has observed in some installations that the earth pit is filled to the brim with salt and charcoal (this too, just days before the Electrical Inspector is due to arrive for inspecting the installation).
Fact:To reduce soil resistivity, it is necessary to dissolve in the moisture, normally contained in the soil, some substance, which is highly conductive in its water solution. The most commonly used substances are salt & charcoal in suitable proportion. It must be noted that the additive substance would reduce the resistivity of the soil, only when it is dissolved in the moisture in the soil. Dry additives do not serve any purpose at all. So, there is no point again, in just filling up the pit with salt & charcoal

Myth: Deeper the earth pit and longer the earth pipe/rod, lesser will be the resistance
Fact: The resistance to earth of a pipe or rod electrode diminishes rapidly within the first few feet of driving, but less so at depths greater than 2 to 3m in soil of uniform resistivity