Water Pollution FACTS: Total Dissolved Solids

Water Pollution and Total Dissolved Solids

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) is a measurement of everything in your water – good and bad. The amount of TDS in water affects its taste, too little TDS (soft water) , and water tastes flat and insipid. This is why many people find drinking pure water (such as distilled) to be unpleasant. Most water that has high levels of TDS will contain high amounts of calcium and magnesium. When those minerals are present, high levels of TDS in drinking water will cause an unpleasant aftertaste. When water has high levels of calcium and magnesium,  it is called hard water; water with low levels of calcium and magnesium is called soft water.

Water Hardness (parts per million)

Soft                           Not healthy, do not drink!

Slightly Hard             Tastes good

Moderately Hard      Tastes ok

Hard                         Has aftertaste

Very Hard                 Terrible aftertaste

Potential Health Effects

Elevated TDS levels don’t normally present a health problem, and are actually good for you unless toxic chemicals like chlorine and fluoride are present. Minerals in salt form, such as calcium and magnesium are found in hard water. Unlike table salt, calcium and magnesium salts are good for you; they help you get your recommended daily allowance of minerals.

Soft Water is bad for your health for two reasons. First, it doesn’t supply any minerals, and research shows that we don’t get enough minerals from our diet. Second, soft water is “hungry” water – it’s hungry for minerals. There is significant evidence that soft water will actually steal minerals from your body!

Slightly Hard Water may be the best water of all. In taste tests, slightly hard water is preferred over other kinds of water. Better tasting water is important to your health because if it doesn’t taste good, you won’t drink it.

Drinking Water pH Level Matters!

Tests performed on hair samples of people who drank acidic water vs. alkaline water show that the pH of the water you drink will determine what minerals your body absorbs from it. People who drink acidic water (pH less than 7) showed higher concentrations of mercury, boron, and barium – toxic heavy metals.

People who drank alkaline water showed higher levels of calcium, iron and selenium in their hair – all beneficial minerals that you need to get every day. The scientists that conducted the study came to two very important conclusions:

• Alkaline water is an important source of minerals
• Alkaline water may offer protection against toxins like mercury

Protect Yourself from Water Pollution, know what’s in your water

The first step is to find out what kind of water you have. You can do this by getting a free water quality report from Life Ionizers®. If your water is hard, we will recommend appropriate filtration. If your water is soft, we will tell you how to add minerals to it.

Most importantly, we will discuss with you how to make your drinking water alkaline. With alkaline water, you will get healthy minerals you need, and  protection from absorbing the toxins you don’t need.

• You get antioxidant minerals
• Protection from the toxic effects of mercury

For more information, or to order your free water report, call us today at: 877-959-7977.

This article should not be relied on to determine if mercury is in your water. 
Click here to receive a free evaluation of your local water quality report to see if you may
be risk for mercury in your water supply.