NAME PERIOD DATE

DRINKING WATER QUALITY: HARDNESS

How are total dissolved solids (TDS) measurements used to evaluate drinking water quality?

Objectives
 Relate total dissolved solids (TDS) measurements with drinking water quality.

Materials and Equipment

 Data collection system  Several samples of drinking water
 Conductivity sensor  Wash bottle with distilled water

Safety
Follow these important safety precautions in addition to your regular classroom procedures:
 Wear safety goggles at all times.

Procedure
1. Select Open PASCO Experiment in SPARKvue. Navigate to Quick Start Labs > Table & Bar Graph (User
Data).spklab and select OK.

2. Use the Bluetooth icon to connect the conductivity sensor to your device.

3. Select the pencil icon in column "x", the first column in the table on the left side of SPARKvue. Rename the
measurement "Source" and leave the units box empty. Select OK.

4. Type the source of each drinking water sample in the first column of the table. Enter the location where the
sample was collected. For bottled water, enter the brand and source information from the label. Include added
minerals if available.

5. Select 'y' in the second column. Choose Total Dissolved Solids (mg/L) from the menu that slides open. Total
dissolved solids (TDS) is an estimate of the mass (in mg) of all charged particles present per liter of a sample.
Charges particles contribute to water "hardness" and include ions from salts, minerals, and metals.

6. Select 'y' in the graph. Choose Total Dissolved Solids (mg/L).

7. Select Start to begin collecting data.

8. Rinse the probe thoroughly with distilled water. Set the probe a few centimeters in the first sample listed in the
table. Once the reading stabilizes, select the green check mark to "keep" the data point.

9. Repeat Step 8 for every sample, rinsing between each sample. Do not forget to keep the final data point.

10. Stop collecting data. Record your results in Table 1.

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Data Collection
Table 1: Total dissolved solids (mg/L) measurements for water samples
Water Sample Source Total Dissolved Solids (mg/L)

Questions and Analysis

1. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the maximum TDS drinking water value at or
below 500 mg/L. Anything lower than 500 mg/L might be considered either "high" or "low" depending on the
dissolved substances. For example, 450 mg/L is not considered "high" if beneficial minerals like sodium and
potassium mostly contribute to the measurement, but this value would be considered "high" if nitrate ions are
the main dissolved ion.

Did any source exceed the national standard? If so, which ones? If not, which one came closest?

2. Comment on the source that produced the highest TDS reading. What might explain the high number of charged
particles in that sample?

3. Comment on the source that produced the lowest TDS reading. What might explain the low number of charged
particles in that sample?

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4. Is a TDS measurement a reliable way to determine whether water is contaminated water? Why or why not?

5. Is TDS related to the "flavor" of a particular type or brand of bottled drinking water? Explain your answer.

6. Why would a consumer need to be concerned about water hardness? Explain your answer.

PASCO 3