You have much information about good quality water, you are aware that it has no flavour, smell, or colour. Solubilize several substances that can alter its colour, smell, and taste, including the sweetener in your morning coffee as well as a number of organic and inorganic substances commonly referred to as TDS. Probably you anticipated the worst when you saw the phrase high TDS water in the article's headline. After all, water providers frequently promote TDS as harmful to customers, perpetuating the myth. High TDS is really not particularly harmful, though. In the end, the type of soluble solids in the water matters more than the quantity.
TDS can change your drinking water's appearance, including its colour, flavour, and aroma. Additionally, higher quantities of it can accumulate in pipelines and equipment, degrading their functionality and raising maintenance expenses. This blog will teach you everything you need to know about TDS in drinking water, including what they are, how to measure them, and what they might reveal about your water source. If your water has a high TDS level, it also shows whether you need a water filter.
What is High TDS Water?
Total Dissolved Solids is referred to as TDS. In a quantity of water, it refers to the total amount of absorbed organic and inorganic substances. TDS essentially refers to everything in water that isn't an H2O molecule. More elements dissolve in the water as the TDS level raises.
Types of TDS in Water
The different metals, minerals, salts, anions, and cations that are dissolved in water make up total dissolved solids. Some typical ones that might be in your drinking water are listed below:
- Minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, fluoride) (calcium, magnesium, potassium, fluoride)
- Metals (zinc, aluminium, iron, copper, lead, cadmium) (zinc, aluminium, iron, copper, lead, cadmium)
- Substances and chemical components (pesticides, herbicides, chlorine, chloramines, nitrate, sulphates, arsenic)
- Salts (sodium, chloride) (sodium, chloride)
- Microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites) (bacteria, viruses, parasites)
- Bicarbonates
Sources of TDS in Water
Water frequently comes into contact with different solids in the surroundings on its path from the source to your tap. Water is a great solvent, so it may pick up and absorb a lot of these substances and transport them right to your tap.
Rivers, mineral springs, salt deposits, seawater intrusion, carbonate deposits, and other places can all be the source of organic molecules. High TDS concentrations in spring water are a prime illustration. The water in a mineral spring can dissolve numerous minerals present in the rock and soil it travels over or through since it often flows underground through rocks with high mineral concentration. These minerals remain in the water after being dissolved at different concentrations. By gently elevating the pH of the water, a natural process improves the taste, but the water can also absorb potentially hazardous metallic substances like copper, lead, zinc, and iron.
Solutes in drinking water supplies are significantly increased by humans. For example, lead may flow from old pipe work, pesticides and herbicides may come from agricultural runoff, and chlorine may come from water treatment facilities. Since bottled mineral water from the supermarket may contain mineral additions like electrolytes and fluoride that are absent from pure water, dissolved solids are occasionally purposely added to water.
How to Measure TDS in Water?
Using a TDS meter, sometimes referred to as a TDS tester, is the simplest approach to determine the amount of dissolved solids in water. A TDS meter can detect the concentration of the solution and calculate the TDS from that measurement since soluble ions like salts and minerals enhance the conductivity of water. The greater quantity of concentration of dissolved solids, more electrically conductive the water.
Is Low TDS level in Water Harmful?
Low TDS concentration is often defined as less than 100 ppm in your water sample. A low TDS often indicates that the water is deficient in minerals like calcium, magnesium, and zinc, giving the water a bland flavour. 150-250 ppm might be a great range for optimum health if the water has those important minerals. Nevertheless, 100 ppm would be a very high reading, making drinking the water risky if it contained residues from pesticides, PFAS, lead, and related toxins.
Does a High TDS in Water Mean You Need a Water Filter?
To avoid scale development caused by mineral deposition in pipes and equipment, you can use your water's TDS level to evaluate whether you need a water softener. However, you should just not rely solely on it to establish whether you need a water filter. Your best alternatives for determining whether your home needs a water filter are to ask your local water provider for a thorough report on the quality of the water in your area or to send a sample of your water to an accredited laboratory for analysis. Knowing which toxins are present in your water will assist you select a water filter for your home if there are any.
How Can High TDS in Water Treated?
A high-quality water filtration system is your best option for clean, safe, and great-tasting water if you are concerned about the TDS level in your water. Research and analysis are needed to determine if the dissolved solids are dangerous or useful. You don't want to mistakenly filter out critical electrolytes and minerals from your water along with the harmful stuff.
Fortunately, our Whole-House Water Filtration System can assist get rid of dangerous toxins including copper, lead, chromium-6, pesticides, medications, and disinfection by-products without getting rid of healthy chemicals. Additionally, it eliminates up to 99.6% of the chlorine and other impurities that are the source of poor tastes and odours, providing your entire household with cool, delicious water. The sediment pre-filter filters away suspended solids that are 5 microns in size or larger, including dirt, sand, silt, debris, rust flakes, and other impurities. Additionally, it lessens water cloudiness brought on by suspended particulates, which can make the water seem brown, orange, or yellow. There are several under-counter or table top water filter solutions available, delivering different levels of filtering power based on what pollutants you need to target, if you're searching for a system that filters water at specific faucets in your home.
Final Words
If you have any queries concerning TDS or water filters, please get in touch with us and we will be pleased to help. Additionally, look through our selection of under-counter reverse osmosis systems, whole-house water filters, and other drinking water systems. If you have any queries, feel free to get in touch with us through our website Aqua Hygiene.