2012/16 – Pipalyatjara (South Australia) – Total Dissolved Solids
August 2012 – November 2016: 694mg/L (average from 5 detections. Five above ADWG)
26/11/19: Pipalyatjara Total Dissolved Solids 745mg/L
GUIDELINE
“No specific health guideline value is provided for total dissolved solids (TDS), as there are no
health effects directly attributable to TDS. However for good palatability total dissolved solids
in drinking water should not exceed 600 mg/L.
2012/16 – Pipalyatjara (South Australia) – Hardness
2012/16: Hardness average 415.8mg/L (5 detections out of 5 above guideline)
26/11/19: Pipalyatjara Hardness 466mg/L
GUIDELINE
“To minimise undesirable build‑up of scale in hot water systems, total hardness (as calcium
carbonate) in drinking water should not exceed 200 mg/L.
Hard water requires more soap than soft water to obtain a lather. It can also cause scale to form on hot water pipes and fittings. Hardness is caused primarily by the presence of calcium and magnesium ions, although other cations such as strontium, iron, manganese and barium can also contribute.”
Pipalyatjara 1997-1999
The salinity of these groundwaters is 640-770 mg/L TDS with nitrate concentrations of 30-35 mg/L and fluoride concentrations < 1 mg/L. These values are all within the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (1996). The 1997 water quality investigation detected total coliform counts in the supply lines (Fitzgerald et al., 2000).
Total Dissolved Solids
“No specific health guideline value is provided for total dissolved solids (TDS), as there are no
health effects directly attributable to TDS. However for good palatability total dissolved solids
in drinking water should not exceed 600 mg/L.
Total dissolved solids (TDS) consist of inorganic salts and small amounts of organic matter that are dissolved in water. Clay particles, colloidal iron and manganese oxides and silica, fine enough to pass through a 0.45 micron filter membrane can also contribute to total dissolved solids.