This is my first time in this site,so I will give my feedback after.

In water testing for conductivity, the required measurement for potable water is what level, and the level of over 550 micro siemens is potable and any effect on the taste?

Thank you

We will begin by saying that scientists define conductivity in the following manner: A given quantity of water’s ability (or inability) to conduct electricity at a specific temperature. Dissolved solids in a water sample make it possible for the sample to conduct an electrical charge and therefore the greater the quantity of dissolved (usually inorganic) solids, the great the water’s conductivity value.

With that said, 100% pure water would contain no dissolved inorganic solids and therefore conduct no electricity.

Government & Regulatory Guidelines

To our knowledge the USEPA has not, yet, included conductivity in its Primary or Secondary Drinking Water Standards so we do wonder where Geoffrey got the value of 500 micro Siemens for a threshold for potable water.

We have seen situations, however, where regulatory bodies have placed upper limits on conductivity as a means of triggering more in-depth water quality evaluations. As an example, we have read that the EPA imposed a 300 to 500 micro Siemens threshold that would stop the issuing of coal mining permits in certain areas.

Conductivity and the taste of the water?

Quite frankly we believe the taste of the water would get determined not necessarily the the quantity of dissolved inorganic solids, but rather by the nature and character of the solids. In other words, dissolved salts would impart a salty taste while dissolved metals would more than likely impart a bitter, metallic taste to the water.

Do high conductivity readings always mean unnatural or man-made contamination of a water supply?

No, not at all. Higher than expected levels of conductivity may quite often result from virtually any activity that disturbs the area around a body of water. High winds during dry weather patterns can result in dust getting blown into water and pretty much any activity that ‘loosens’ or jars loose small pieces of solids could result in additional solids finding their way into a body of water.

Scientists have not, yet, found a clear and definitive link between elevated conductivity levels and the harmful contamination of water, though waters with definite contamination issues have, in many cases, also had elevated conductivity levels.

HM Digital QC-1 Quick Check Monitor
for TDS and Electrical Conductivity

A company we have talked about in the past, Crystal Quest, has come out with a commercial (or whole house) reverse osmosis water filter system that uses (2) two 4″ x 40″ TFC HF1 Membranes, (1) one 4.5″ x 20″ Big White 5 micron sediment filter, (1) one 4.5″ x 20″ Big White 10 micron carbon block filter and, (1) one 4.5″ x 20″ Big White 1 micron sediment filter to effectively filter source water pushed through by a single 1 HP Multistage Goulds Pump and Motor (110/220 Volts AC, 60/50 Hertz).

Neatly packaged on a powder coated (white) aluminum, lightweight frame, this unit also boasts an inline TDS monitoring system so operators can keep a watchful eye on the purity of water produced by the system.

What good does monitoring TDS do?

When operating properly, a reverse osmosis system like the one pictured here, or like smaller, point-of-use versions such as the Crystal Quest Thunder 1000 CP, which combines reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration, will strip water of pretty much any dissolved matter… so if a TDS meter detects dissolved solids in water post-filtration, then something has gone wrong during the filtration process and one or more of the filter elements may need replacing.

If, by chance, your water usage does not require such a high volume of purified water on a daily basis, you may wish to consider the 2,500 gallon commercial reverse osmosis system or, if you just need a system for in-home use, you can find a number of units worth taking a look at on the Filter Water Web Site.

Today’s question comes from ‘Tanya’ and if you have ever gone out to eat at a restaurant, picked up a glass of water, taken a sip, and then noticed cloudiness in the glass as you went to put it back down… you will understand why Tanya sent us an email.

Tanya asked, “We live in the country and obviosuly don’t have access to city water. It would cost a small fortune, they say, to connect us up to the water lines running about 5 miles from where we live. Our well gives us water that tastes OK and don’t leave stains on our stuff like we’ve read other people’s water can do but it always looks cloudy like stuff is floating in it. Is that dangerous? What can we do about it? Thanks a bunch. Tanya.”

As for whether or not your water poses any danger to you or anyone else that drinks it, well, that all depends on what contaminants it contains. Often times the visible stuff floating in your water will not harm you…

…but other times it will. Only testing can tell you if the contaminants you see in the water pose any danger.

We suggest getting your water tested by a certified water testing laboratory such as National Testing Labs or contacting your local health department to see if they offer free or low cost water testing programs in your area.

Then, depending upon what the lab report tells you, you may want to look into getting a water filter system designed to remove the contaminants it has identified.

Do NOT just run out and buy the biggest and most powerful filter you can find, though. Not all filters remove the same contaminants and believe us when we say you will get very mad at yourself if you spend a few hundred (or more) dollars on a water filter that doesn’t even remove contaminants in your water!

Need help selecting a filter? Read the tutorials on sites like FilterWater.Com, WaterFilters.Net, FiltersFast.Com, and IsoPureWater.Com

What if it’s just… non-harmful junk?

In cases when the lab comes back and tells you that your water has nothing particularly harmful in it, and that it simply contains a large number of total dissolved solids, you may want to look into installing a sediment filter designed to remove small, suspended particulates from drinking water.

As an example, the Crystal Quest Whole House Sediment Filter uses a special NSF-certified resin media which effectively removes suspended solids down to the 20-40 micron range and does other things, at the same time, to improve the quality of the water passing through it.

First, water travels through a 20″ sediment cartridge that removes unwanted contaminants such as sediment, silt, sand and dirt. Sediment filters also extend the life of water softeners, water filters, and prevents damage to control valves or pumps that you may have installed after this unit.

Second, water travels through a specially blended bed (1.5 or 2.0 cubic feet depending upon model) of sediment removal media (CQ-S 100) equipped with an Automatic Microprocessor Control valve that regulates the amount of time water spends in contact with the media. Longer contact times with filtration media typically means more effective filtering and better conditioning of the water.

Third, water travels through a 20″ solid carbon cartridge which removes or reduces levels of compounds such as chlorine and organic contaminants which typically contribute to bad taste and odor in drinking water.

Will this or any other system work for you?

Depends… You will first need to get your water tested before you even know what contaminants you need to remove.

Start there.

Looking to by a TDS monitor for personal use.

We have a lot of gas drilling starting where I live, I’m having my well and water checked by a professional well service. But there are a few of us that would like to have a tds monitor for after the fact to keep a check on our water instead of constantly having to pay a professional to find out if there has been any change. I would like to know if you have a tds monitor that would pick up pH, barium, chloride, and methane. iron manganese, hardness (calcium and magnesium), sodium, total organic carbon, strontium, oil&grease, detergents, lead, arsenic, alkalinity, coliform bacteria, sulfate and nitrate. Volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) or a subgroup of VOC’s called BTEX (benzene etc.) along with radionuclides like gross alpha, radium and radon.

The first thing we need to point out: TDS Meters cannot detect all of those things. This does not mean, however, that they do not have their use in monitoring water quality in regions where gas drilling, or other industrial activities, take place.

Wikipedia describes TDS in the following manner: “Primary sources for TDS in receiving waters are agricultural and residential runoff, leaching of soil contamination and point source water pollution discharge from industrial or sewage treatment plants. The most common chemical constituents are calcium, phosphates, nitrates, sodium, potassium and chloride, which are found in nutrient runoff, general stormwater runoff and runoff from snowy climates where road de-icing salts are applied. The chemicals may be cations, anions, molecules or agglomerations on the order of one thousand or fewer molecules, so long as a soluble micro-granule is formed. More exotic and harmful elements of TDS are pesticides arising from surface runoff.” ( source )

Given the possibilities of what TDS meters COULD possibly detect, one could safely say that regardless of whether or not a person lives near gas drilling or not, a sudden change in TDS readings might warrant further investigation.

Sudden and/or drastic changes in the pH levels of source water may also serve as good reason to perform additional testing so having a pH meter handy may also prove beneficial.

At-Home Testing vs. Laboratory Testing

In a situation like Sylvia’s where a myriad of both simple and complex drinking water contaminants could show up at any time, we feel confident saying that no at-home test kit will protect her and her neighbors fully and we hope that local health officials will step up to the challenge of keeping tabs on local water quality by implementing a full regimen of independent testing… instead of blindly trusting the results handed down from private industry.

Without knowing how much your local lab charges for a ‘full battery’ of testing, Sylvia, we will suggest contacting companies like National Testing Labs to see what they have to offer.

Inexpensive Spot Checking Options

As we previously stated, occasionally testing the TDS and pH levels of source water may provide clues as to whether or not it contains contaminants. You may also want to test for the following:

• Chlorides
• Nitrates/Nitrites
• Heavy Metals (Collectively)
• Heavy Metals (Independently — Lead, Copper, Arsenic, Iron, Chromium, etc.)

A company by the name of Industrial Test Systems, Inc. manufactures an excellent test kit known as the Well Driller Master Test Kit which offers a number of useful tests designed for use on well water at a reasonable price — usually around $200 — and the kits come with multiple tests for each parameter.

Hi. Yesterday we had an appointment with a man who came by the house with one of those fancy pants test kits that is supposed to shock homeowners into buying an expensive and unnecessary(?) water filter system. One question: Does a high conductivity value really mean our water is bad

Thanks for your help!

When talking about water or another solution containing electrolytes, conductivity, also called to as specific conductance, refers to the water’s ability to conduct electricity. We measure conductivity in siemens per meter (S/m).

High quality deionized water has a conductivity of about 5.5 mS/m, typical drinking water in the range of 5-50 mS/m, while sea water about 5 S/m[2] (i.e., sea water’s conductivity is one million times higher than deionized water). ( source )

Many times a solution’s conductivity value gives a good indication of how many dissolved solids (aka: total dissolved solids) the solution contains. As for whether or not drinking highly conductive water poses a danger to your health, that will depend on what TYPES of solids you have dissolved in your water.

Having said that, we suggest that you not let an in-home water filter system salesman persuade to buy ANYthing based solely upon the results of a conductivity test. Get your water tested by an independent laboratory such as National Testing Labs first and then start looking for a water filter system after you find out if you really have any ‘issues’ with your water.

Digital Conductivity Meter With Cap

In drinking water settings, high TDS levels may mean cloudy water and possibly mean that water may stain or leave deposits adfter it dries.

In swimming pools cloudy water may result and pool chemicals such as granular chlorine and chlorine tablets may not dissolve properly. As a general rule underchlorinated pool water can become aesthetically displeasing (also known as ‘green’ because of an algae problem) and potentially unsafe to swim in.

click here for more details Part Number: A7910	Total Dissolved Solids Meter (TDS) Total Dissolved Solids Meter Measure the Total Dissolved Solids level of your swimming pool water quickly and accurately. TDS meter for swimming pool water is easy to use. Many more pool water test kits available at In The Swim. Your Cost: $129.99
click here for more details Part Number: A7911	Total Dissolved Solids Meter (TDS) Calibration Fluid Use this Total Dissolved Solids calibration fluid to keep your total dissolved solids testing meter properly calibrated so that you get accurate total dissolved solids readings each time you use your TDS meter. Your Cost: $4.99

TDS Meter: Digital Pen Style 10 to 9990ppm (TDS503) ATC with Calibration Solution, Screwdriver & Hard Case	TDS503		$69.99
Water Purity Tester, Pen Style (WPT100) WaterProof with Protective Cap & Battery	WPT100		$32.95

For more information on other water quality parameters you may want to test, please visit the Water Quality Testing section of WaterTestingBlog.Com

“Overview: This standard was developed for point-of-use (POU) reverse osmosis (RO) treatment systems. These systems typically consist of a pre-filter, RO membrane, and post-filter. Standard 58 includes contaminant reduction claims commonly treated using RO, including fluoride, hexavalent and trivalent chromium, total dissolved solids, nitrates, etc. that may be present in public or private drinking water. (source)