Did you know water is considered a universal solvent? This is simply due to water’s ability to absorb molecules from a variety of substances, and completely dissolve them. The amount of dissolved particles found in specific volumes of water is referred to as TDS, or total dissolved solids level. These total dissolved solids may be organic or inorganic, and it’s vital to understand the TDS level of your own drinking water at home. As a whole, this level represents the quality and status of your current drinking water situation. Let’s explore the ins and outs of total dissolved solids, including the different types, ways to measure, and how to reduce their presence overall.
What are TDS Levels?
The level of inorganic or organic materials, commonly referred to as total dissolved solids (TDS) may include salts, ions, metals, minerals, and more. TDS levels are a way to measure elements dissolved in water that are far from an H2O molecule. As water encounters soluble materials, because it is a solvent, the particles are absorbed into water and create total dissolved solids. The TDS in your drinking may be derived from nearly any source, such as road runoff, your home plumbing system, municipal water supply chemicals, as well as natural water springs.
Different Types of Total Dissolved Solids
There are hundreds of kinds of total dissolved solids, which typically fall into four main categories. Salts, minerals, organic matter, and dissolved metals all play a role in your total dissolved solids level.
- Salts
- Minerals
- Organic Matter
- Dissolved Metals
Small amounts of salts are a natural occurrence of groundwater. Human activity, fertilizer, the use of water softeners, sewage contamination, and even de-icing roads may contribute to salt levels.
Calcium, potassium, and magnesium are just a few of the minerals derived from natural sources that commonly pop up in your TDS levels. Mineral-rich rocks produce small amounts of minerals that are released into rivers, lakes, and streams naturally. These minerals however, play a vital role in your daily RDI, improving the taste of your water.
Water becomes contaminated with dissolved organic matter as a direct result of the natural decomposition process. Various plant material, including algae, begins to break down and flow directly through your faucet. Most of the natural organic matter in municipal applications is easily removed throughout the water treatment process, though.
Pollution is the main cause of the presence of dissolved metals in your water ways, as a result of industrial waste, human activities (like mining), and more. This causes metals to leach into your drinking sources. Additionally, aside from metal pipes, soil or rocks may contribute metal in small amounts.
Sources of Total Dissolved Solids Found in Water
In regards to drinking water, TDS can be derived from both intentional and incidental sources. Whether or not it was intentional, total dissolved solids can pose hazards to your health overall. Let’s take a look at the differences between incidental sources of contaminants, and intentional sources.
- Intentional Sources
- Incidental Sources
In the event of totally dissolved solids being added to water sources intentionally, look no further than your local grocery store shelves. Do you notice stacks upon stacks of bottled water housed in plastic bottles? The most commonly utilized additives include calcium and magnesium, especially in “mineral water” products.
Although many bottled water manufacturers practice adding electrolytes to their product, the chosen minerals are not naturally found in pure water sources. They claim such additives prevent tooth decay, including fluoride.
Organic compounds tend to originate from some sort of run-off, sewage, wastewater, water treatment and more. These are considered a derivative of incidental sources, rather than intentional sources. They may be derived from something as unthinkable as water pipes deep underneath your own neighborhood.
Take the high lead count of Flint’s own water supply for example. This problem began as a direct result of the lead water pipes installed throughout Flint’s aging community. The use of a mineral spring is another common example that eventually leads to an incidental source of TDS in the water supply. As water flows underground, coming into contact with rocks high in minerals, the water fills with beneficial compounds.
Ways to Measure TDS Levels
The level of total dissolved solids (TDS) is typically measured as a volume of water, utilizing unit milligrams per liter (mg/L), or PPM (parts per million). The EPA set forth secondary drinking water regulations with a level of 500 ppm as a recommended maximum TDS level. Drinking water measuring higher in TDS than 1000 ppm is considered unsafe, especially if that level far exceeds 2000 ppm.
Having your water tested through the use of a TDS meter is considered the safest and simplest way to measure for TDS. If your TDS meter reads 100ppm, you are getting a reading of 100 dissolved ions to 999,900 water molecules for every one million particles. A reading such as this would be considered a low level of total dissolved solids.
Unfortunately, a TDS meter alone is incapable of identifying which types of TDS are present in drinking water. Overall, this vital information serves as an important piece to the puzzle in terms of water quality. This is where a home water test kit serves as a good resource or, as an alternative, a lab water analysis.