If your tap water tastes salty, metallic, or overly mineral, high TDS may be the reason. On the other hand, water that seems “flat” often has too few minerals—usually after reverse osmosis or distillation. Understanding how to remove TDS helps you strike the right balance, producing water that tastes clean, supports your plumbing and appliances, and feels better every day.

This article expands on our previous guide, Understanding TDS in Water: A Homeowner’s Guide, with practical solutions for lowering TDS safely and effectively at home.

Understanding TDS: What It Means for Your Home

The U.S. Geological Survey notes that dissolved solids occur naturally as water moves through soil, rock, and plumbing. Minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and chloride make up most of the total. Human activity—like road salt, water treatment chemicals, or industrial discharge—can also raise TDS levels.

According to the EPA’s Secondary Drinking Water Standards, TDS affects water’s aesthetics—taste, color, and odor—but not usually safety. However, extremely high readings can signal potential contamination. If TDS remains high even after softening, further testing for nitrates, chlorides, or metals is recommended. A simple water test helps identify which treatment—softening, RO, or filtration—fits your home best.

The World Health Organization classifies water below 600 mg/L TDS as good quality and above 1,000 mg/L as poor, with noticeable taste and buildup issues. For homeowners, these benchmarks help determine whether a water softener, reverse osmosis unit, or whole-home filter is the best match.

Reverse Osmosis: The Most Effective Way to Lower TDS

Reverse osmosis (RO) uses a semipermeable membrane to separate water molecules from dissolved ions, salts, and contaminants. The WQA confirms that well-maintained RO systems can reduce TDS by up to 95%, producing exceptionally clean water for drinking and cooking.

RO systems are point-of-use—typically installed under the sink—so they improve water where it matters most, without affecting plumbing or appliances. They’re ideal for reducing salts, nitrates, and dissolved metals. If you find RO water tastes “flat,” a small remineralization filter can restore natural flavor while keeping solids low. For more detail, explore RO filtration for clean drinking water.

Distillation: What It Is—and Why RO Is Usually the Better Choice

Distillation boils water and then condenses the steam, leaving most dissolved solids behind. It produces very low-TDS water, but it’s slow, energy-intensive, and best suited for small batches (e.g., a countertop unit for specialty uses).

For everyday drinking and cooking, reverse osmosis (RO) is typically the more practical choice: it runs continuously at the tap, uses far less energy, and removes a broad range of dissolved ions (salts, nitrates, metals) with minimal upkeep. If you need occasional ultra-pure water for a specific task, distillation can complement an RO system—but it’s rarely the primary household solution.

Bottom line: choose RO for daily TDS reduction at the faucet; consider distillation only for niche, small-volume needs where ultra-low TDS is required.

Deionization: Ion Exchange for Ultra-Pure Water

Deionization (DI) exchanges dissolved ions—like calcium, magnesium, and chloride—for hydrogen and hydroxide, forming pure H₂O. It produces extremely low-TDS water suitable for aquariums, humidifiers, and lab settings. Resins require periodic regeneration, so DI is more common in commercial or specialty residential applications. Learn more in our guide to deionized water systems.

Water Softeners: Reducing Hardness and Supporting Balanced TDS

Water softeners work through a process called ion exchange—swapping hardness minerals like calcium and magnesium for sodium or potassium. These hardness minerals make up a major portion of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in many Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. homes. When a softener removes them, your TDS reading may drop slightly, and your water immediately feels smoother and stop leaving white scale behind on fixtures and glassware.

It’s a common misconception that a softener “adds salt” and raises TDS. In reality, the trace amount of sodium added during ion exchange is minimal compared to the hardness it removes. A properly sized system simply replaces problem minerals with ones that won’t form scale—protecting plumbing, water heaters, and dishwashers while improving efficiency throughout your home.

Because hardness minerals make up part—but not all—of TDS, a softener is an excellent first step for households where hardness dominates the reading. If your TDS remains high after softening, that usually means other dissolved solids like sodium, chloride, or nitrates are present, and a reverse osmosis system at the tap may be the next step for complete purification.

To learn more about how softening fits into your overall water plan, visit our Water Softeners page or use our Softener Sizing Guide to find the right capacity for your home. Together with professional testing, these systems lay the foundation for balanced, efficient, and better-tasting water.

Testing and Monitoring: The Smartest First Step

Accurate water testing is the foundation of any TDS management plan. The National Center for Biotechnology Information notes that regular TDS monitoring tracks changes in water chemistry and confirms that treatment systems are performing effectively.

Most experts recommend keeping TDS below 500 mg/L for optimal taste and appliance performance, consistent with EPA guidelines. If your softener reduces hardness but TDS remains high, further testing for nitrates or chlorides can pinpoint what’s driving the reading. Sometimes a combination of systems—softener, RO, and filtration—delivers the best results.

Bringing Balance Back to Your Water

Every water source tells a different story. The USGS explains that dissolved solids vary by region, geology, and water source. In Virginia, D.C., and Maryland, that means no one-size-fits-all approach works. For example, homes in coastal or urban areas may need RO for salts and nitrates, while those on well water benefit from softening or whole-home filtration to handle iron and sediment.

At Clear Wave Water, we start with a local water test to identify what’s really in your water. If your TDS comes mostly from hardness minerals, a softener may be all you need. If it’s driven by salts, metals, or nitrates, a reverse osmosis system at the tap provides the best fix. And if results are unusually high or unclear, we’ll guide you through next-step lab testing for complete peace of mind.

Pure Water Starts with a Single Step

Clean, balanced water begins with understanding what’s in it. Managing TDS improves taste, comfort, and the efficiency of your entire home. If you’re in Virginia, Washington D.C., or Maryland, Clear Wave Water can help you identify the right mix of solutions for your local conditions.

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