Common people don’t know what TDS is and what should be the level of TDS in water. But it is very necessary to tell everyone what it is and its role in drinking water. TDS stands for total dissolved solids that include inorganic salts in high amount and organic matters in small amount. Water contains two types of elements known as cations (positively charged ions) and anions (negatively charged ions). Cations include magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium, while nitrates, carbonates, bicarbonates, chlorides and sulfates are anions.
These solids can come from different sources such as natural activities and human activities. If water flows through the rocks area where high amounts of salt content are found, the level of dissolved solid element in water will be increased. The water that flows through the Prairie regions contains high amounts of dissolved solids because calcium and magnesium are abundant in that area.
Human activities can also play a vital role to increase the level of these minerals in water. Water draining from agricultural and urban regions can also add these solid elements in water source.
What should be the TDS level for the drinking water?
The minimum level of TDS for drinking water is not yet defined, however it shouldn’t be lower than 150. Water with lower TDS is not considered as fit for our body, because it doesn’t have essential minerals that our body needs to be healthy.
A panel of tasters conducted a research at World Health Organization, in which they found the following preferable TDS level in water:
| Level of TDS (milligrams per litre) | Rating |
|---|---|
Source:
https://www.safewater.org/fact-sheets-1/2017/1/23/tds-and-ph
https://www.quora.com/What-should-be-the-minimum-TDS-level-for-the-drinking-water-and-what-should-be-the-maximum-in-RO-system
Do you know how South Africa's water would do on this scale?
No