Myth Buster – High TDS in water is good for health

TDS in water or Total Dissolved Solids in water is a commonly heard term, which means a concentration of dissolved particles or the solids in water. The TDS contains inorganic salts like calcium, magnesium, chlorides, bicarbonates, along with inorganic compounds which are dissolved in water. Water which tastes salty and not very palatable is likely to have a high level of TDS.

Water with high TDS levels becomes difficult to consume without purifying the water. The solids dissolved in water might not be ideal for your health and should be filtered out before it is used for consumption.

Because of its capacity to breakdown and consume molecules from a wide range of substances, water is regarded as an elixir and a universal solvent.  TDS level refers to the quantity of colloidal solids in a given volume of water. There are two types of total dissolved solids: organic and inorganic. A picture of your water's overall quality can be painted by knowing your water's TDS level but which total dissolved solids are present. Learn about the many categories of total dissolved solids, how to evaluate them, and how to lower total dissolved solids in your water in the sections below.

Types of TDS in water

1. Minerals

Magnesium, calcium, and potassium are among the minerals that naturally contaminate water. Small amounts of these minerals are discharged into the water when rivers, streams, and lakes come into touch with mineral-rich rocks. Minerals enhance the flavour of water and help you meet your RDI each day.

2. Salts

Water from the ground may naturally include small amounts of salt. Human activity, such as using fertiliser, water softeners, de-icing roadways, and even sewage contamination, may also have an impact on salt levels.

3. Metals in solution

The main way that dissolved metals enter the water is through pollution. Metals can contaminate drinking water as a result of industrial waste and human activities like mining. Small amounts of metals may be present in rock or soil, and some metal pipes may also add to the dissolved metal content of water.

4. Organic substance

Usually, the natural breakdown of algae and plant materials results in the introduction of dissolved organic matter into the water. The majority of naturally occurring organic matter is eliminated from water during the treatment process in municipal applications.

How to measure TDS in water?

TDS digital metre

a) After removing the protective cap, turn on the digital TDS metre. Put it in the water until it is completely saturated. (A marking on the digital TDS metre denotes the saturation level.)
b) Wait 15 to 20 seconds with the digital TDS metre submerged in the water after stirring the TDS metre to remove any air bubbles. It is possible to monitor the TDS level after 20 seconds have passed.
c) Most digital TDS metres provide a reading by multiplying the reading by 10, but some require an additional 10 times. Remove the surplus water from the digital metre and replace it after determining the TDS level of the water.

The following method can be used to determine the TDS in water without a TDS metre in order to determine its purity.

How to measure TDS in water without a TDS metre at home?

Filter paper and scale,

a) Weigh the evaporating dish on a scale and record the outcome in mg. Make sure the dish is empty, dry, and clear of any materials before you weigh it.
b) Use vigorous swirling to ensure that the substance in the water sample is distributed evenly throughout the sample.
c) Put the water sample into the container lined with filter paper. To make sure the material is completely gathered and delivered to the evaporating dish, the filter paper needs to be wiped three more times.
d) Dry the current matter thoroughly before weighing the dish with the restored filtrate and recording the mg reading. Make the TDS calculation using this value.
e) Using this method, it is possible to test the TDS in water at home without a TDS metre.

How to reduce the TDS levels in water?

1. RO method to Reduce TDS in Water

One of the most often used processes for eliminating total dissolved solids from water is reverse osmosis.

Most TDS, including dissolved salts, minerals, and harmful compounds, may be removed by RO water purifiers down to 0.0005 microns in size.

Systems for reverse osmosis are often installed at points of usage, such as your kitchen sink or countertop. Before being pushed at a high pressure through a tiny filter mesh known as a semi-permeable membrane, water passes through multiple stages of filtration, including a carbon-based filter.

2. Deionization method to Reduce TDS in Water

Water is passed over positive and negative electrodes during deionization. As a result, the water's positive ions separate from it and are drawn to the negative electrode.

Since the majority of the positive and negative ions have been eliminated, de-ionized water is extremely clean. In order to lower TDS to a tolerable limit before deionization, which does not target non-ionic pollutants, water is typically treated with RO first. Deionizers aren't regarded as water purifiers for this reason, and they're less efficient than other approaches.

3. Distillation method to Reduce TDS in Water

Boiling water to the point of evaporation is the distillation process. After that, the water flows across a chilly surface where it condenses into a different container.

The bulk of pollutants are solid or liquid at the bottom of the boiling solution in the heating chamber because they have higher boiling points than water. When the chamber is cleaned in between uses, they are then removed.

A carbon filter, which is located in the distiller's spout and traps impurities as water falls into the container, removes any TDS that can evaporate and condense with water.

Myth - Total dissolved solvents are good for the body!

Depending on which type of salts and compounds are released in the water can one decide if the TDS level in water is good or bad for the body. A range of salts, minerals, organic compounds can make up TDS, which includes calcium, chlorides, sulphates, magnesium, potassium, carbonates, bicarbonates, amongst others. While a few of these, can provide few minerals to the body, most of these are considered harmful and hence need to be purified before consuming water.

Myth - High TDS level water is good for consumption!

WHO states the acceptable range for the TDS level of water can be 300 parts per million (ppm), for it to be suitable for a human to consume water. Water with a TDS level above 300 ppm, though not harmful, may not be consumable as it can taste salty and can contain a high concentration of minerals. TDS level impacts the colour, odour, and taste of water.

Water beyond 300 ppm would require an additional RO technology for purifying the water. The RO water purifiers use special membranes which hold back certain dissolved solids, to give palatable, sweet-tasting water. Water which shows a TDS level beyond 1000ppm might be unsafe for human consumption. As per the WHO report data, water with TDS beyond 1200ppm is said to be unacceptable.

Reference of TDS level in Water

Below is the tds in water level chart refence for you.

Myth - RO Water is not good for consumption as it removes the TDS!

The RO water purifier does not completely remove the TDS but removes the excess amount of TDS from the water. Water with high TDS levels will taste saltier while water with low TDS levels will have no harmful effect on the human body. If you remove excess TDS, the RO water purifier sweetens the taste of water.

Consumption of low TDS water, naturally occurring or received from a treatment process (such as a RO device), does not result in any harmful effects on the human body. Human body’s own control mechanism regulates the mineral content of the body fluids and the discharge of different types of ions from the body of normal healthy individuals (regardless of whether drinking water is high or low on TDS). It is also evident that consumption of low TDS water by a healthy person alone cannot cause any negative impact to the human body. Several types of scientific literature and research have found no harmful effects to the human body, attributable to the consumption of low TDS water.

In all, it is thus important to know the TDS level of your source of water and then determine the best water purification method to treat water. RO water purifiers online are the best solutions to purify water with high TDS levels to give you safe drinking water.