Private well answer guide

TDS 500 mg/L in Well Water: Is It Safe?

TDS at 500 mg/L is commonly used as a taste and aesthetic benchmark, not a complete safety test. You need individual contaminants to know health risk.

Search: TDS 500 mg/L well water safeUrgency: Routine

What to test

TDS
Chloride
Sodium
Sulfate
Hardness
Nitrate

What to do next

Review chloride, sodium, sulfate, hardness, nitrate, and metals to understand what makes up the TDS.
Compare results over time to see if TDS is rising.
Check softener settings if sodium or chloride is high.
Use reverse osmosis for drinking water if taste or salts are a concern.

Common questions

Does high TDS mean water is unsafe?

Not by itself. TDS is a sum of dissolved substances, so the specific contaminants matter more.

Does reverse osmosis lower TDS?

Yes, reverse osmosis typically reduces TDS at the drinking water tap when maintained correctly.

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Keep your well history

Interpret once on the web. Track forever in the app.

Save test history, set annual reminders, compare results over time, and create a shareable report for your family or water professional.

Save this result in the iOS app