Water Quality & Treatment Blog

"Water is commonly known as the universal solvent, particles of soluble materials are absorbed into the water."

TDS refers to the amount of minerals, metals, organic material and salts that are dissolved in a certain water volume that is expressed in mg/L or parts per million (ppm)

Bacterial water contamination is a serious issue that has ramifications for human health. The importance of a Health Unit water test cannot be understated as it can identify potential for illness due to bacteria present in water. When submitting a water sample to a Public Health Unit in the province of Ontario, do you know what is being tested for? Do you assume that the safety of the water is being tested for and the results are a good determination of overall drinking water quality? 

Does a good test result put your mind at ease that the water is safe for consumption? 

If a glass of water is held up and it is colourless, crystal clear and has no odour would you think there is much wrong with the water? Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) are completely dissolved in a water supply and generally invisible to the human eye. They are not associated with a bacterial test and are not tested for at the Public Health Unit when you submit a water sample. At certain level’s they pose a risk and are not a recommended drinking water source according to the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines.

Sometimes what you do not see can be a risk.