26/10/2026
💧 Does a lower TDS reading mean healthier drinking water?
A handheld Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter can help track changes in your water—but its reading cannot tell you whether that water is suitable for drinking.
In Understanding TDS in Drinking Water – Part 1, Andre Goosen explains what the
numbers mean for South African homeowners using municipal water, rainwater or boreholes.
Three things to remember:
🔹 TDS does not identify individual contaminants. The reading cannot tell you how much nitrate, fluoride or lead is present.
🔹 Low TDS does not rule out germs. A meter cannot test for bacteria, viruses or parasites.
🔹 TDS and hardness are different. A softener addresses hardness; a large drop in TDS is not the measure of successful softening.
The right treatment starts with understanding your water source, testing for relevant risks and choosing a system for a defined purpose.
Contact Blue Water Solutions for a quote suited to your water source and household requirements.