How Much TDS In Water Is Good For Health

You must have heard the word “TDS” being thrown around multiple times in water purifiers’ advertisements. Every major company claims to control or maintain the level of TDS in water. But how can you make a purchasing decision without knowing the meaning of TDS?

Basically, Total Dissolved Solids, also known as TDS, is the total concentration of dissolved substances in water. If you need a clear answer, it should be below 300 PPM.

But if you want to dive deep into this matter, you are in for a treat with the following article. We have covered all the subtopics related to TDS in water that can help you create a better lifestyle for yourself and your family.

What is TDS?


TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids. It showcases the concentration of solids dissolved in water, like calcium, magnesium, sulfates, chlorides, bicarbonates, etc.

Scientifically, inorganic salts have positively charged cations, such as potassium and sodium, and negatively charged anions, such as nitrates and sulfates. Together, they make up the TDS in water.

TDS can increase in water due to several factors. Some of them are as follows:

  • Carbonate deposits
  • Salt deposits
  • Agricultural runoff
  • Stormwater
  • Anti-skid materials
  • Drinking water treatment chemicals

How Does TDS Affect Water?

Does TDS actually affect the water you drink, and in turn, affect your health? Well, yes.

It affects the salinity of the water. It means it impacts the saltiness or amount of salt dissolved in the water.

If your drinking water tastes saltier than usual, the chances are it has a high level of TDS. Generally, people use RO purifiers to filter their drinking water. Even though these machines cannot altogether remove the TDS, they can lessen its proportion.

How Much TDS is Normal in Drinking Water?

Drinking Water

TDS is measured in mg per unit volume of water (mg/L) and parts per million (PPM).

We have prepared the following tables for a better understanding of TDS in terms of mg/L as well as PPM.

TDS (PPM)Suitability for Drinking
Less than 150Best
150-250Good enough
More than 500Avoid at all costs
TDS (mg/L)Suitability for Drinking
Less than 50Unacceptable
500-900Not good enough
1200-2000Not acceptable
More than 2000Avoid at all costs

According to WHO, water with 300 mg/L TDS is said to be excellent for us.

How Does TDS Affect Us?

The effect of TDS in water goes beyond altering its taste. If the proportion is either too high or too low, it can affect our health.

The following are some of the repercussions of unhealthy levels of TDS in water:


First things first, high levels of TDS can make your drinking water saltier. It may even taste bitter if there are different types of dissolved solids in the water.

If the water has higher TDS, it will have a “heavy” taste. More saltiness would be felt due to the high proportion of sodium.

On the other hand, water with lower TDS will have no taste. This may even pass off as sweet water, but even low TDS can be harmful.


As low/high TDS affect the taste of water, it can even lead to alternations in the food taste. Water is a basic need when it comes to cooking most of the dishes. A change in the water taste, rooting from the change in TDS content, can lead to changes in the taste of the final dish.

Health Concerns

Studies have shown that high TDS concentration in water can lead to coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease.

It might lead to other ailments like:

  • Nausea
  • Lung irritation
  • Vomiting
  • Rashes
  • Dizziness

As a higher level of TDS in water can expose the body to different types of toxins, it can directly affect your immunity system.

Other studies by reputable universities and institutions show that it can lead to liver or kidney failures. In addition to that, it may weaken the immunity, possibly leading to congenital disabilities in a newborn child.

On the other hand, consumption of low TDS water leads to no ill effects on health. However, there is a slim chance of it causing mineral leaching from healthy tissues.


Are the water filters in your purifier causing troubles more frequently? Well, it could be due to the TDS in water.

This will require you to change your filters more often than before.

Effect on Utensils

Besides your health, the high TDS in the water content can also lead to spots on the utensils. The extra proportion of solids can fade the original color of your clothes.

Moreover, you might also see a buildup in the sinks and faucets.

How to Control the TDS in Water?

By now, it is well established that you must check and maintain the TDS content in your drinking water. But, how can you do so? The following methods can help you maintain a healthy level of TDS in water:

Reverse Osmosis (R.O.)

Reverse Osmosis Filter

Reverse osmosis is a process through which TDS can be forcibly removed from the water with the help of external pressure and a synthetic membrane.

This membrane consists of microscopic pores that will not allow molecules larger than 0.0001 microns to pass through. The solids dissolved in water are larger in size; they will get stuck in it, leading to clean water coming out from the other end.

This process is successful in removing the contaminants. It removes organics, bacteria, colloids, and pyrogens that can increase the proportion of TDS in water.


Distillation is a process in which the water is boiled to produce water vapor. Furthermore, this is condensed back into liquid form.

As the dissolved solids are unable to vapourize, they get stuck in the boiling solution, leaving you clean drinking water.

There are three types of distillation processes:

  • Simple distillation
  • Steam distillation
  • Vacuum distillation

This process significantly reduces the proportion of TDS in water.

Deionisation (DI)

This is a process in which the water is passed through a negative and positive electrode.

The positive ions are known as cations, while the negative ions are called anions.

The anions are charged up with positive hydroxide ions. These resins attract the negatively charged ions and extract equal amounts of hydroxide.

On the other hand, positively charged ions release the maximum amounts of hydrogen. Both of them combine to form water.

This method is well-accepted by the experts of this industry. Not only is it cheap, but it also provides effective results.


Anything in more proportion can be harmful, including TDS in your drinking water. The best way to stop it from harming your health is to buy a best water purifier in india. An effective and qualitative water purifier will maintain the level of TDS and provide all the necessary minerals in your water.

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