Total Dissolved Solids in Drinking Water: Health Risks, Sources, and How to Remove It
Total Dissolved Solids is an inorganic constituent in drinking water. The EPA has set a maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 500 mg/L for this parameter. It represents the total concentration of dissolved substances within the water supply.
Health Effects
High levels of Total Dissolved Solids can negatively affect the taste of your water. They can also contribute to water hardness and cause corrosion in plumbing systems. These impacts are primarily aesthetic and operational rather than acute health hazards.
How Total Dissolved Solids Gets Into Tap Water
Total Dissolved Solids originate from a variety of natural sources. They are typically composed of dissolved salts and organic matter that enter the water supply.
How to Remove Total Dissolved Solids From Your Water
Effective treatment methods to remove these substances include reverse osmosis and distillation. Deionization is also a common treatment option to reduce their levels.
Should You Test Your Water?
You can check your local consumer confidence report or search the WaterQ website to find the level of Total Dissolved Solids in your water. If you rely on a private well, routine water quality testing is a practical way to monitor these levels. You can also look up your local water system on WaterQ or check the Total Dissolved Solids data page for reported levels in your area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Total Dissolved Solids dangerous in drinking water?
Total Dissolved Solids are not typically dangerous, as their effects are limited to water taste, hardness, and plumbing corrosion. They do not pose high-severity health risks. Managing them is primarily focused on improving taste and preventing pipe damage.
How does Total Dissolved Solids get into tap water?
They enter the water supply through natural sources, dissolved salts, and organic matter.
How can I remove Total Dissolved Solids from my water?
You can remove them using treatment methods such as reverse osmosis, distillation, or deionization.
Source: EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations and WaterQ National Database. For more contaminants, visit our contaminant library.
What actually removes total dissolved solids (tds)
Worth saying plainly: a high TDS reading is not evidence that your water is unsafe. TDS counts dissolved minerals indiscriminately, so harmless calcium reads the same as something you would care about. TDS meters are the favourite prop of door-to-door filter salespeople for exactly this reason. If a number worried you, get an actual contaminant test before spending on hardware.
Works
- Reverse osmosis (NSF 58)The broadest removal available at home: arsenic, nitrate, fluoride, PFAS, TDS.
- Ion-exchange pitcherDrives total dissolved solids near zero, but cartridges exhaust fast.
Will not fix this
- Basic activated carbon (NSF 42)
- Carbon certified for lead (NSF 53)
- UV disinfection (NSF 55)
- Ion-exchange water softener
- Boiling Makes it worse — evaporation concentrates what's left behind.
Test before you buy.Total dissolved solids (TDS) can't be seen, tasted or smelled, and the right hardware depends on the concentration you actually have. A certified lab test costs a fraction of the wrong filtration system. Start with your local water quality report, and get a mail-in lab test if you're on a private well.
Options that carry the right certification
Ordered cheapest-adequate first. Prices are indicative bands and move often.
| Product | Certification | Upfront | Per year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APEC ROES-50 EssenceUnder-sink | Built with WQA-certified components to NSF/ANSI 58.Catch:Needs an under-sink drain connection and a spare hole for the dedicated faucet. Strips minerals — some people dislike the flat taste. | $180–240 | $50–80 | Check price |
| ZeroWater 5-Stage PitcherPitcher | NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certified for lead and chromium; drives TDS toward zero.Catch:Cartridges exhaust quickly in high-TDS or hard water, which is exactly where people buy it — running cost is the highest of any pitcher. | $30–50 | $100–180 | Check price |
| AquaTru Countertop Reverse OsmosisCountertop | NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 58, 401 and P473 certified.Catch:Takes counter space and you refill a tank by hand. Wastes some water as brine, like all RO. | $400–500 | $80–130 | Check price |
Certification listings change. Before buying, confirm the current listing for the exact model in the NSF certified products database — a manufacturer's marketing page is not a certification. WaterQ earns a commission on purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you; see our affiliate disclosure. This is general information, not medical or engineering advice.
For a full breakdown of certifications, running costs and the models worth considering, see our buying guide for total dissolved solids (tds).