How to Check Water TDS at Home? Easy Guide 2025

Drinking water is one of the basic needs. It is important to know how to check water TDS, as it helps find the water purity level. If you know how to measure the TDS, it can help you ensure safe and pure drinking water for your family. It further helps understand the need to have pure drinking water by having modern water purifiers. 

So, TDS level of water to determine how pure it is water and whether it can be used for household chores. It can help you understand the need for a water purifier to have a germ-free water supply for daily use.

Can TDS Help Check Water Purity Level?

Yes, by measuring the water purity level, it is easy to understand the TDS level in water. The TDS concentration should be 300mg per litre. If the TDS concentration is higher, it indicates that drinking water may cause waterborne diseases. Contaminated water is a major cause of health issues globally and needs to be addressed soon. This is what raises the need to check the water TDS. 

Importance of Measuring TDS in Water and the Methods 

Poor water quality remains a significant concern in India. To measure TDS in water, one has to check the presence of total dissolved solids.

Water having high TDS may result in the following:

• Give rise to health problems 
• Foul odour and taste of water 
• Result in appliance damage 

So, effective TD measuring can prevent the alarming effects of high TDS in water. It can happen irrespective of which part of India you live in. 

Let us take a look at the ways to measure TDS in water and focus on three primary methods. 

1. Use Digital TDS Meter – Modern Method 

It is easy and quick to record water TDS at home using a digital meter. It can be done without any calculation after taking the reading. It shows instant results. The steps to follow here are:

• Remove the cap from the meter and switch it on
• Now, immerse it properly in the water sample, as the immersion levels are marked
• Try to remove any air bubbles present in the water to get accurate readings
• Leave the water undisturbed to get proper reading of the TDS concentration

2. Use Electrical Conductivity

This method releases electrical current in water to measure the TDS level.

• Electrical conductivity meter
• A water sample in 250 degrees
• A water beaker that is dust-free

Ways to measure the conductivity:

1. Place the beaker on a flat surface and switch on the meter
2. Insert the measuring lead into the water
3. Let the water rest for accurate reading

3. Use of Filter Paper and Scale

The age-old method was convenient to check TDS of water without TDS meter. The steps to follow here are:

• Take a clean glass container or a beaker
• Measure TDS in a water sample
• Use filter paper
• Evaporating dish
• A sterilised stick to stir the water
• A weighing machine or scale
• Pipette to collect a minimum of 50 ml of water

After following the steps and calculating the weight difference, you get the TDS value.

The TDS is measured as follows:

1. Weigh the empty dish using a machine. The dish has to be completely free to get accurate measurements. Note the weight of the dish 
2. Now stir the water sample properly, ensuring that the particles present get dispersed adequately in the sample 
3. Now collect the sample with a pipette of a minimum of 50 ml 
4. Take the sample, such that no particles are left behind at the bottom of the container. 
5. Keep stirring the water as the particulate needs to be distributed evenly for proper TDS reading 
6. Pour water in another container using a filter paper and repeat the step three times to ensure that any matter present is collected correctly in the filter paper 
7. Now, weigh the dish with a filtrate after it gets dry 
8. Calculate the TDS value found in the water sample 

So, adopt the correct method for the proper calculation using based on the TDS meter reading. The meter reading ranges between 50 and 150 ppm is considered good and the water is safe for drinking. 

Understanding Good TDS and Low TDS in Drinking Water 

While evaluating water TDS at home, it is essential to know that a water sample with TDS up to 300mg/litre is suitable for drinking. If it is less than 50mg/litre, water is considered unsafe as the nutrient content is missing. 

So, the TDS water meter can measure how much of dissolved salts are available water and whether it can be considered safe or not for drinking.

Can a Water Purifier Help Prevent Contamination from TDS?

Once you know how to calculate TDS of water, it is time to know that the purifier plays a crucial role in managing water TDS levels and making it safe for drinking. It depends on purification techniques, and reverse osmosis or RO can effectively react to reduce water TDS. 

So, it is worth investing in the latest RO purifier machine that can effectively manage TDS and make it safe for daily consumption. 

Need to Maintain Optimal TDS

The water purity measurement demands maintaining the right TDS level of water to ensure water quality. It should not affect the clarity and taste of water and prevent its discolouration. The right TDS ensure no excessive minerals are present in the water, and perfect for drinking. 

Having a safe TDS level ensures water is free from contaminants. High TDS indicate that there are pollutants in water that often impact one’s health and cause waterborne diseases. 

TDS has magnesium and calcium, and the optimal level can ensure the presence of such elements in water. So, it is important to check the TDS level in the water and check with the above points before considering a water source fit for daily consumption and drinking.