How To Check The TDS Level Of Water At Home? Complete Guide!

Whenever you plan on buying a new water purifier, the one common term that you will encounter is TDS. What is TDS? How is it significant to water purification and how to check the TDS level of water?

These are some of the common questions that need answers and we are here to provide you with just that. Not only will you get to know of the ways About How To Check tds Leval Of water at home we are also going to focus on every last detail associated with the same.

Let us take a further look, shall we?

What is TDS Leval?

Before we discuss how to check TDS in the water at home, the most important thing we need to know is what it actually means. If you aren’t aware, TDS, otherwise known as the Total Dissolved Solids.

The water that is naturally found on this planet is not just composed of hydrogen and oxygen. With the pollution and impurities around, the water is filled with other solid particles including calcium, magnesium, carbonates, and fluoride.

Sometimes, you can even find traces of arsenic and lead in the areas around the factories and industrial establishments. These chemicals are considered fatal for the human body, hence you need to find better ways to get rid of these contaminants. The water purifiers are designed to get rid of the same.

Since the water around us is charged with such a wide range of chemicals and impurities, it is important to not just measure the TDS level but also eliminate and purify the same if it is in excess.

Importance of Measuring TDS in Drinking Water

In an ideal scenario, you should be drinking nothing but pure water. But, the same without any kind of minerals is not ideal for your health. It is the wide range of salts in the water including calcium, magnesium, and potassium that impart the necessary amount of taste that you crave.

The main reason why you need to check the TDS level in water at home is to find whether it is permissible for drinking or not.

As per the EPA Secondary Regulations, the maximum permissible TDS in drinking water is 500 mg/L. It doesn’t matter what your source of the water is, it shouldn’t have a TDS level more or less than the permissible amount.

This is where the water purifiers come into play.

What is the Best level of TDS in Drinking Water?

When talking about the ideal TDS in drinking water, there are a few pointers that one needs to keep in mind.

You need to realise that not every water is safe for consumption. Additionally, not every water can be purified and made fit for drinking. There are certain factors that need to be looked into.

When we are talking about the TDS levels in the water, we have a few important points that we need to take a look into.

The ideal TDS levels in drinking water is set at 500mg/L by the Bureau of Indian Standards. But, as per the guidelines, it is also believed that in case there are no alternative sources of drinking water, the level can be made acceptable up to 2000mg/L.

In case the water has a TDS level over 500mg/L, the same is likely going to affect the palatability of the water. This means that the water will taste odd and might cause risks of gastrointestinal issues for you.

So, acceptability and the palatability levels of TDS in drinking water is different. You need to focus on both as different entities to ensure better water purification and a better understanding of things.

TDS – Acceptability levels

Before we discuss the palatability levels of TDS, we need to first discuss the acceptability levels of TDS.

TDS Level (mg/L)	Acceptability
Less than 50	Not acceptable
50-150	Acceptable
150-250	Acceptable
250-350	Acceptable
350-500	Acceptable
500-900	Not acceptable
900-1200	Not acceptable
1200-2000	Not acceptable
Above 2000	Not fit for drinking

TDS – Palatability levels

TDS Level (mg/L)	Palatability
Less than 300	Excellent
300-600	Good
600-900	Fair
900-1200	Poor
Above 1200	Unacceptable

How Much TDS in Drinking Water is Good for Health?

If you look through the Acceptability chart above, you will come to realise that a few of the TDS levels in water is deemed safe while the rest are not unsafe.

But, when talking specifically about the TDS levels that are safe for health, there are a few pointers that you need to take a look through.

The 150-250 mg/L level is considered safe for your cardiovascular health and is the ideal level of total dissolved solids in your drinking water.

250-350 mg/L is the level you will normally notice around in most of the houses in urban India.

How to Check the TDS level in Drinking Water?

Now that we have discussed the basics of the TDS level of drinking water, it is important that you focus on the ways to check the TDS level in drinking water.

To be fair, there are a few important pointers that you can look through. To help you out, we are going to share a few of the best ways that you can use to check the TDS level of water.

1. Using Digital TDS meter

If you don’t want any kind of hassle, using a digital TDS meter is one of the best options. These TDS meter that are used to measure the purity of the water in the purifiers can be used for measuring the TDS levels too.

These can help check for the hardness of the water too, to ensure that you are drinking good quality water without further thoughts.

Even the accessibility of these TDS meters is available online.

So, how do you use a digital TDS meter?

Start by measuring the temperature of the water.

Start by switching on the TDS meter
Once its on, press on the TEMP button to check the temperature of the water
Once that is done, you can again press on the TEMP button to return to the TDS mode

Measure the TDS levels

After you remove the protective cap and switch to the TDS mode
Immerse the meter up to 2 inches in the water
Move the meter slightly around the water to get rid of the water bubbles
Once you have immersed the meter, hold it in till the reading stabilises
Press and hold the button and then take it out of the water to record the reading
In case the meter requires the reading to be multiplied by 10x, you need to multiply the reading by 10
Once done, shake off the excess water from the meter and then put the cap back on

2. Using Filter Paper and Scale

If you are in a hurry and need to measure the TDS levels of the water right at that moment. This is an extremely easy way and can be done with the things available in your home.

Things you’d need:

Sterilised beaker
Sample of the water to be tested
Filter paper
Evaporating dish
Pipette
Stirring stick
Scale

Steps you need to follow:

Start by taking the evaporating dish and then measure its weight in milligrams, ensuring that the contents of the dish is completely empty
In the sterilised beaker, take the sample water and using a stirrer, mix everything completely till everything is dissolved well
Using the pipette, take 50 ml of the water and use that for the testing
Using that water, you need to pass that water through the filter paper 3-4 times
Once done, collect the sediments on the filter paper and then transfer it to the evaporating dish and weigh
Make sure that you wait for the filtrate to dry completely in the meantime
Transfer the filtrate residues to the evaporating dish and weight
Deduct the sediments from the filtrate residues

This gives you the figure for the amount of TDS levels in your drinking water.

3. Using Electrical Conductivity Meter

The last method that works like magic for this is the electrical conductivity meter.

Things you’d need:

Sterilised glass beaker
Electrical conductivity meter
Water sample

Steps you need to follow:

Start by placing the sterilised beaker on a smooth and flat surface
Once done, switch on the conductivity meter and then immerse the measuring lead in the water
Once the meter is stabilised and the readings are available, you can take the readings. The stabilising process can be a little hectic, so keep your calm
For this, you then need to put the reading into the formula – TDS = Co-relation factor (KE) x Electrical conductivity (EC)

Why You need to Eliminate Excessive TDS in Water?

Now that we have sorted you with the different ways to check TDS levels in the water, the next thing to focus on are the ways to eliminate the excess TDS in water.

For the most part, the reason why people keep a track of the TDS levels in the water is to ensure that the drinking water is safe for consumption.

Since the dissolved solids including calcium, phosphate, and the harmful chemicals like arsenic and lead are not deemed safe for consumption, you need to find constructive ways to get rid of the same.

But, you need to realise that the high TDS level of the water doesn’t necessarily mean that the water is unsafe for drinking. High levels can mean that the water contains more dissolved solids that what is considered fit for consumption.

You can purify the water and make it suitable and safe for consumption.

How to Reduce the TDS Level in Water?

While the 500mg/L of TDS is considered “safe” for consumption, it is not an acceptable range. It is extremely important that you install a good quality water purifier at home.

The purifiers with RO technology are considered the best for your health. But, they do waste a lot of water, so you need to make do with the same.

These water purifiers are manufactured with the necessary technology that helps reduce the TDS levels in the water. Make sure that you always check for the goodwill and longevity of the RO membrane because that is equally important to keep an eye out on.

When buying a RO water purifier, keep a check on the brand first. You want a reliable and well-known brand with good after-sales service. Aside from that, it is also important to ensure that you find a way to reuse the wastewater from the purifier.

Conclusion

Keeping a check on the TDS levels of the water is important. But, not many know how to check the TDS level of water. We hope this article clarifies your doubts and gives you a better understanding of things.

In case you are struggling to find better ways to drink clean and hygienic water, you do need to practice this. Checking the TDS levels help you have a better idea of things and ensure best of health for you in the long run.

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