What is a water TDS ?

TDS of the Water and how filters are effective

Water is considered a universal solvent because of its ability to dissolve and absorb molecules from various substances. The number of dissolved particles in a volume of water is called the total dissolved solids (TDS) level. Understanding your water’s TDS level and which total dissolved solids are present paints a picture of your overall water quality. In this article, you can learn about the different types of total dissolved solids, how to measure them, and how to reduce the TDS levels in your water.  

What is Water TDS?

Total dissolved solids (TDS) are the amount of organic and inorganic materials/ minerals, such as metals, minerals, salts, and ions, dissolved in a particular volume of water.

Types of total dissolved solids/ Minerals

The following list details common total dissolved solids that may be present in your water.

• Calcium
• Chloride
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Zinc
• Aluminum
• Copper
• Lead
• Arsenic
• Iron
• Chlorine
• Sodium
• Fluoride
• Bicarbonates
• Sulfate
• Herbicides

What is the best TDS level for drinking water?

According to the EPA secondary drinking water regulations, for the desalinated water 100 to 200 ppm is the recommended TDS for your drinking water.

For the natural water, we can drink up to 900ppm TDS water. Any measurement higher than 1000 ppm is unsafe. If the level exceeds 2000 ppm, then a filtration system may be unable to properly filter TDS.

TDS Water Chart

Why measure the TDS?

Total dissolved solids can affect your water quality, your health, your home plumbing system, and even daily tasks, such as cooking and cleaning. By measuring your water for TDS, you can better understand your water quality and how it affects your everyday life, allowing you to make an informed decision to solve your water quality problem and install the most effective filtration system for your home.

1. Taste and smell

Tap water with a high concentration of total dissolved solids (TDS) can have a bitter taste and unpleasant smell. The higher the concentration of total dissolved solids, the bitterer your water will taste. A reverse osmosis system and a ceramic water filter are both recommended to improve the taste and smell of bitter tap water.

2. Health

High TDS water is not necessarily unhealthy to drink, but certain substances, such as lead and copper, are health hazards. For example, lead exposure can cause brain and nervous system damage, and high levels of copper exposure can cause nausea. A reverse osmosis system is recommended to filter heavy metals.

 3. Filter maintenance

Water filtration systems are a great solution to reduce total dissolved solids but are subject to normal wear and tear. Routine testing for TDS can provide assurance that your filter system is working properly and can alert you when maintenance is required.

4. Plumbing

Water that contains high levels of dissolved calcium and magnesium is hard water and can result in high TDS levels. When calcium and magnesium salts dissolve, they collect in pipes and form scale buildup, which can result in costly pipe replacements and shorten the lives of your appliances. A water softener is recommended to filter calcium and magnesium to prevent scale buildup.

5. Cooking

Though not detrimental to your health at levels below 1000 ppm, cooking with elevated TDS water can change the taste of food. For example, if your water has high levels of chlorine, you may find that your pasta absorbs an unpleasant taste from the boiling water. A carbon filter is an effective choice to remove chlorine from water.

Health effects of high TDS in drinking water

Though an elevated TDS level can affect the taste of your water, it is not usually harmful to human health. However, readings above 500 ppm require further investigation for toxic particles and heavy metals, and readings above 1000 ppm are considered unsafe for human consumption. When thinking about your health, note that the type of dissolved solids in your water is more important than the amount. A home water test kit or lab analysis can help you determine if your water contains any harmful substances like lead or pesticides and herbicides.

Is low TDS water harmful?

Low TDS water is not harmful but not good for the health. A low TDS level actually means you have high-quality water, but it may have a flat taste, as it is devoid of many minerals. If your TDS is low from an RO system, consider incorporating a remineralization/ Alkaline postfilter into your system if it is designed to accommodate one.

Best TDS levels for plants

If you are growing plants, vegetables, or flowers through hydroponics, then total dissolved solids play an important role in providing nutrients to your plants. Two substances that often cause high TDS levels are potassium and nitrates, both of which greatly benefit roses. Flowers should have around 1000-1100 ppm water, while vegetables should have around 900-1000 ppm.

How to reduce TDS in water

Certain water treatment systems are effective methods to reduce or remove TDS from water, especially if the TDS level is 500 ppm or higher. There are many useful filtration systems depending on the type of TDS your water contains, but reverse osmosis systems, water distillers, and deionization are comprehensive systems that can reduce a majority of total dissolved solids.

1. Reverse osmosis

A reverse osmosis (RO) system is one of the most comprehensive filters to remove contaminants. It uses pressure to push unfiltered water through a semipermeable membrane. The membrane has small pores that block contaminants, such as total dissolved solids, but allow clean water to flow through to the other side.

2. Water distillation

Distillation is a water treatment method that mimics how water is purified in nature – through evaporation in the atmosphere. Water distillers convert water into steam, eliminating total dissolved solids and other contaminants because they cannot turn into steam as water can. Once the water returns to its liquid form, it is contaminant free.

3. Deionization

Deionization systems remove total dissolved solids through ion exchange, using resins that control the electrical charge of ions. Water ions replace charged ions from total dissolved solids. The water produced is highly pure, so deionization cartridges are often referred to as high purity filters.