Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) are organic and inorganic substances—including minerals and ions—dissolved in water.
- As water passes through stones, pipes, and other surfaces, it absorbs these particles. TDS can originate from various sources such as minerals in water treatment chemicals, runoff containing road salts, or fertilizers from agricultural activities.
- The most common constituents include cations like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium, and anions such as carbonate, hydrogen carbonate, chloride, sulfate, and nitrate.
- For drinking water, a TDS range of 50–150 PPM is considered excellent, 150–250 PPM good, 250–300 PPM fair, 300–500 PPM unsafe, and values above 1200 PPM unacceptable.
