Every Indian city has different water — different TDS, different contaminants, different hardness, different taste. Understanding your city's water quality is the first step to choosing the right purifier. This comprehensive TDS guide covers 15+ major Indian cities with water quality data, key concerns, and the right Alkin purifier for each.

What Is TDS and Why Does It Matter?

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) measures the total concentration of dissolved substances in water — minerals, salts, metals, and organic compounds — expressed in mg/L or ppm (parts per million). TDS is the single most important indicator of whether a city's water needs RO purification.

TDS Range (mg/L) Classification Taste Recommended Purifier
Below 50 Very Low Flat/tasteless UV + Alkaline (mineral restoration)
50–150 Ideal Fresh, clean RO+UV+Alkaline for bacterial protection
150–300 Good Acceptable RO+UV — TDS controller recommended
300–500 Acceptable Slightly hard RO essential
500–1000 High Hard/salty High-rejection RO mandatory
Above 1000 Very High Strongly salty/bitter Commercial-grade high-TDS RO

City-by-City Water TDS Guide — India 2026

City Typical TDS (mg/L) Key Water Issues Alkin Recommendation
Mumbai 80–200 High chlorine, rooftop tank bacteria Alkin Elegant (RO+UV+Alkaline)
Delhi NCR 300–700 High TDS, arsenic, lead, bacteria Alkin Super 100 or Elegant Plus
Bengaluru 150–400 (Cauvery: 150, borewell: 400+) Dual supply (Cauvery + borewell), fluoride Alkin Elegant with TDS controller
Chennai 300–600 (desalinated: lower) High TDS, salinity from coastal aquifer Alkin Super 100
Hyderabad 200–500 Fluoride, high hardness in peripheral areas Alkin Elegant Plus
Pune 100–250 Bacterial contamination in PMC supply Alkin Elegant
Ahmedabad 400–800 Very high TDS, hardness, fluoride Alkin Super 100 Plus
Jaipur 500–1200 Extremely high TDS, fluoride, hardness Alkin Super 100 Plus (high-TDS)
Kolkata 150–300 Arsenic (peripheral areas), bacteria Alkin Elegant Plus with arsenic pre-filter
Lucknow 300–600 High TDS, hardness, pipe contamination Alkin Elegant Plus
Chandigarh 200–400 Moderate TDS, good supply quality Alkin Elegant
Surat 350–700 High TDS, industrial area contamination Alkin Super 100

How to Measure Your Home Water TDS

  1. Purchase a digital TDS meter (available online for Rs 300–600)
  2. Fill a glass with tap water at room temperature
  3. Dip the TDS meter probe into the water up to the "max" mark
  4. Press the button and read the value in ppm/mg/L
  5. Take 3 readings and average them for accuracy

Also test your purifier's output water — output TDS should be 40–150 mg/L for optimal health. If output TDS is above 200 mg/L, your RO membrane may need replacement.

FAQs — Water TDS Indian Cities

What TDS does WHO recommend for drinking water?
WHO does not set a strict health-based TDS guideline but recommends keeping TDS below 300 mg/L for taste acceptability. The Indian BIS standard (IS 10500) sets 500 mg/L as acceptable and 2000 mg/L as the absolute maximum permissible limit. For health and taste, 50–200 mg/L is considered optimal for purified drinking water.
My city water has low TDS — do I still need an RO purifier?
Low TDS does not mean safe water. Mumbai's low TDS (80–200 mg/L) municipal water still has high chlorine, potential bacterial contamination from old pipes, and variable quality from rooftop storage tanks. An RO+UV purifier addresses these concerns regardless of TDS. The Alkin Elegant with TDS controller is ideal for low-TDS cities — it purifies while retaining beneficial minerals.
My TDS meter shows very different readings at different taps — why?
Normal. Water TDS can vary significantly between taps in the same home due to pipe material differences, distance from the main supply, and storage tank conditions. Always test the tap you use most for drinking — ideally the kitchen tap connected to the purifier inlet. If readings vary dramatically (more than 200 ppm between taps), inspect your internal plumbing for corrosion or leaks.

Know your city's water, then choose the right solution. Browse Alkin purifiers matched to Indian city water conditions, or request a free water quality test at your home.

Share:

Ready to Experience Alkin Pure Water?

Call our water experts for a free demo and the right purifier for your family or business.

  Call 1800-180-2180 Shop Alkin Range