Understanding TDS and Water Filtration Systems
TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids. In simple terms TDS is the amount of minerals and salts dissolved in your water. The unit of measure is parts per million (ppm), which is the same as milligrams per liter (mg/L). Faucet and pour-through water pitcher filters contain a variety of water purification and enhancing media inside. As your tap water flows through the filter certain substances will be removed. Substances commonly removed are:
• Chlorine and chloramine tastes and odors
• Heavy metals
• Radon
• Fluoride
• Pesticides, carcinogenic chemicals and organic solvents
• Natural organics that cause off-flavors and odors
The TDS of your drinking water will probably remain the same after passing through these kinds of water filters because these “pollutants” are in trace levels compared to other dissolved substances like phosphate, sodium, sulfate and chloride, which are not removed by faucet and pour-through filter systems. These water filters greatly improve the taste, clarity and health of your water but they won’t reduce TDS. Some water filter pitchers, like the Health Metric pitcher, remove pollutants and condition the water by raising the pH and making the water alkaline. In this case the TDS will probably be higher after being purified by the pitcher.
These examples are intended to show that TDS and water quality are relative. A bottle of distilled water should have a TDS of zero. If it were 100 ppm it would indicate that the water is not 100% distilled water. However, if your well-produced water with a 100 ppm TDS, it means a low mineral content that is ideal for washing clothes, making coffee and bathing.
A water softener will reduce the level of calcium and magnesium (water hardness) but not the TDS. This is because water softeners remove calcium and magnesium but add back equivalent amounts of sodium or potassium into the water. The level dissolved solids do not change. Softened water is better than hard water but this is not reflected on a TDS meter. Here is a list of water filters and their effects on TDS:
• Water softener – No change
• Home water distiller – Reduction
• Faucet filter – No change or increase
• Pour-through pitcher – No change or increase
• Mixed bed deionization – Reduction
• Reverse osmosis filter – Reduction
• Activated carbon cartridge - No change or slight increase
• Refrigerator filter - No change or slight increase
• Portable camping/survival filters - No change or slight increase
• Boiling – Slight decrease
TDS meters are great for tracking the performance of reverse osmosis, distillation and deionization filter systems. Activated carbon cartridges, refrigerator filters and pour-through pitchers can’t be monitored by TDS meters. These filters are maintained by changing the cartridge based on gallons filtered or at prescribed time intervals.
• Chlorine and chloramine tastes and odors
• Heavy metals
• Radon
• Fluoride
• Pesticides, carcinogenic chemicals and organic solvents
• Natural organics that cause off-flavors and odors
The TDS of your drinking water will probably remain the same after passing through these kinds of water filters because these “pollutants” are in trace levels compared to other dissolved substances like phosphate, sodium, sulfate and chloride, which are not removed by faucet and pour-through filter systems. These water filters greatly improve the taste, clarity and health of your water but they won’t reduce TDS. Some water filter pitchers, like the Health Metric pitcher, remove pollutants and condition the water by raising the pH and making the water alkaline. In this case the TDS will probably be higher after being purified by the pitcher.
These examples are intended to show that TDS and water quality are relative. A bottle of distilled water should have a TDS of zero. If it were 100 ppm it would indicate that the water is not 100% distilled water. However, if your well-produced water with a 100 ppm TDS, it means a low mineral content that is ideal for washing clothes, making coffee and bathing.
A water softener will reduce the level of calcium and magnesium (water hardness) but not the TDS. This is because water softeners remove calcium and magnesium but add back equivalent amounts of sodium or potassium into the water. The level dissolved solids do not change. Softened water is better than hard water but this is not reflected on a TDS meter. Here is a list of water filters and their effects on TDS:
• Water softener – No change
• Home water distiller – Reduction
• Faucet filter – No change or increase
• Pour-through pitcher – No change or increase
• Mixed bed deionization – Reduction
• Reverse osmosis filter – Reduction
• Activated carbon cartridge - No change or slight increase
• Refrigerator filter - No change or slight increase
• Portable camping/survival filters - No change or slight increase
• Boiling – Slight decrease
TDS meters are great for tracking the performance of reverse osmosis, distillation and deionization filter systems. Activated carbon cartridges, refrigerator filters and pour-through pitchers can’t be monitored by TDS meters. These filters are maintained by changing the cartridge based on gallons filtered or at prescribed time intervals.
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