TDS in water- What it actually means

 

TDS in water stands for total dissolved solids in water if you take it in the literal sense. It is a term that is used commonly although there are some prevailing doubts pertaining to the same as well. TDS or total dissolved solids equate to the overall concentration of dissolved particles or specific solids within water. TDS accounts for several inorganic salts including magnesium, calcium, sulfates, chlorides and bicarbonates among others in tandem with several other inorganic compounds which can be easily dissolved in water.

TDS in water has a direct impact on overall salinity levels. If you are of the opinion that water at home tastes saltier than usual and is not very good to drink, then the water source may have higher TDS content. The higher this threshold, the tougher it becomes to actually consume drinking water without properly purifying it. The dissolved solids may adversely impact your health while needing to be suitably filtered prior to your intake. Water purifiers that get RO (reverse osmosis) technology are always the best solution for treatment of water with higher levels of TDS at the same time. However, RO is not always recommended for complete removal of TDS in water by experts although it helps in lowering the levels for making water more palatable. Mineral and packaged drinking water is the best solution in this regard if your nearby water source has a higher level of TDS.

TDS levels may hover across multiple thresholds based upon the water source. In most cases, TDS levels of Borewell will always be higher in comparison to TDS levels of municipal or tank water. TDS levels may vary anywhere between 200 and 50 ppm and not all TDS levels in water will be harmful for consumption by human beings. As a result, it is vital to carefully understand the multiple levels of TDS and their significance at large. WHO (World Health Organization) has already stated that an acceptable threshold for TDS in water should be a maximum of 300 parts per million (ppm) for this to be okay for consumption by human beings. Water with TDS levels that surpass 300 ppm will not be palatable and consumable by human beings since will taste saltier while having a higher concentration of various minerals including potassium, sodium and other types of salts. Any measurement exceeding 300 ppm will need extra RO (reverse osmosis) technology for purifying water.

At the same time, you should know about unsafe and hazardous levels of TDS in water. Water that has figures exceeding a whopping 1,000 ppm, will undoubtedly be completely hazardous for consumption by human beings. Based upon the findings of the World Health Organization (WHO), water with high TDS levels will have unnatural odor, color and taste alike. It will be completely non-consumable and unpalatable for human beings while high-TDS water will create excessive scaling which will damage boilers, heaters, water pipes and other appliances that use water in the household. If there is high TDS in water at home, switch to mineral water for better health and wellbeing.