The salt shaker on your kitchen table more than likely contains NaCl.

Other metals such as Mg (magnesium) and Ca (calcium) can also form salts in the presence of Cl (chloride), but they do not impart the same ‘saltiness’ to water and/or foods as NaCl.

Scientists have not, yet, determined the exact reason WHY different salts will taste salty, bitter or some other way, but evidence seems to point in the direction of Cl bringing saltiness to the table (pun intended) and the metals interacting with the Cl in their own unique ways causing each metal-chloride combination to have different taste characteristics.

Salty drinking water

We most often hear of this happening when one of two things has happened: 1) a water softener has developed a problem with its backwash cycle (i.e. too long a rinsing w/ salt charged water); 2) sea water (or salt water from surface runoff) has found its way into an aquifer accessed by private wells.

Regardless of how the salt got there, health experts believe that consuming too much salt, meaning NaCl, on a regular basis can have detrimental effects on a person’s health.

Testing for salt in drinking water

While simply tasting water typically serves as a surefire means of determining whether or not water contains unwanted levels of dissolves NaCl, do not drink water if you fear it has become contaminated with salt water. You will NOT like the outcome.

Use of a TDS (total dissolved solids) meter or an EC (electrical conductivity) meter will allow you to get a quick overview of your water’s potential salt concentration. While in most cases neither meter will give you a definite ‘this is salt’ verdict, water that contains elevated NaCl levels will have both a higher total dissolved solids and electrical conductivity reading than the same water sample without elevated salt levels… and even if not actually salt that either meter detects, the fact that either or both meters picked up something dissolved in the water should make you consider having a water professional test your water.

We commend the Ohio EPA for speaking up on behalf of the residents and taking action to make sure their drinking water no longer contained bad tasting chlorides.

CAMDEN, Ohio (WDTN) – Ohio EPA has issued a preliminary site approval for Camden to investigate as a possible alternate well field. The approval is the first step in the process of replacing the village’s present sodium-contaminated well field.

The village has been supplying fresh drinking water to residents who do not like the taste of Camden’s water since salt entered the drinking water system in late July. Ohio EPA officials notified village officials that Camden must find a permanent solution.

The proposed well field is north of the salt pile that is presumed to be the source of the current contamination. Indications are that the area will not be affected by the salt; however, test wells must produce adequate water quantity and be free of bacteria or other contaminants. ( source )

Can the average person test for chlorides in their own drinking water?

Of course they can! WaterWorks manufactures an easy-to-use dip and read test strip that detects chloride levels in drinking water as low as 0 ppm and as high as 500 ppm with distinct color blocks at 0, 50, 100, 250, 500 ppm (mg/L).

Most people do not have to worry about chlorides in their drinking water, but if you do, a test kit like WaterWorks Chloride Check will make testing a simple, quick task.

OK, so the the village has to find a new source of drinking water and pretty much anyone can test for chloride in their drinking water in a matter of seconds… but well water can contain quite a few other contaminants, so what about those? Can the average person test for those, as well?

WaterSafe test kits and SenSafe test kits make drinking water testing easy and affordable for everyone. Average homeowners can make excellent use of drinking water test kits such as the WaterSafe Well Water Test Kit and/or the SenSafe Water Quality Test Kit while water quality service professionals can make excellent use of drinking water test kits such as eXact Micro 7+ Water Testing Meter and/or the Well Driller Master Test Kit

Keep in mind, though, that do-it-yourself test kits for testing water quality work well as screening tools but should not get used as the ‘final ‘word’ regarding the potability of a water supply. In situations where you have reason to suspect contamination of your drinking water source, always defer to the expertise of a certified drinking water laboratory such as National Testing Labs.