TDS meters are watchdogs for your water filtration system, making sure that you and your family are drinking water that has been effectively purified. TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids, and is a measure of how well your reverse osmosis drinking water treatment is working. TDS meters are the canary in the coal mine of your water supply.

Traditional filters keep solid contaminants from reaching your water glass, but there are plenty of pollutants in our water that are not solid at all. Various minerals and chemicals dissolve in water and bond to its molecular structure. If you stir a teaspoon of salt into a glass of water and watch it disappear, you'll get the idea.

TDS Meters Are Great Reminders

Reverse osmosis is how you can rid your water of dissolved solids, by creating two chambers of water and having the pollutants concentrate in the "bad" chamber. TDS meters let you know how effectively your reverse osmosis system is working by testing your treated water and determining what percentage of solids has been removed.

You can buy a dedicated TDS meter and test your water on a regular basis, but there are other solutions as well. Many reverse osmosis faucets come with a TDS meter built right in, allowing you to conveniently monitor your levels with every glass of water you drink. When the TDS meter shows that you are getting rid of less than 80 percent of dissolved solids, it's time to get a replacement reverse osmosis filter.