High Tds Of 4000

[MountainSpringPool]

We recently bought a house and, first thing first, replastered the pool. Now, as we are getting ready to fill the pool with water again, we need to choose our water supply:

1) We live at the top of a mountain and have free access to the water supply of a mountain spring, but test results show a TDS of 4000. So the pool guys don't want to use the water. But the water is free and the previous owners always used this spring.

2) Or we use the city supply with the acceptable levels, as recommended by the pool guys, and pay a fortune.

Any suggestions?!?!?

[Poolspotpro]

Hi. Thats a pretty high TDS level I think. Being in Florida, we haven't had much occurences of high TDS levels due to all the rain we get here but in the couple times I've had to deal with it, it was a major pain. It was a pain because high TDS can cause a broad spectrum of issues and can make even the most experienced service guy scratch his head. Plus there's no good way to reduce it except to replace the water with new. My opinion is the same as your pool guy's. Fill with the city water.

[chem geek]

TDS itself is pretty much irrelevant. It is what the TDS is composed of that is important. If the TDS were mostly sodium chloride salt, then there would not be issues except for some increased risk of metal corrosion or faster soft stone hardscape deterioration. On the other hand, if the TDS is high because the Calcium Hardness (CH) and Total Alkalinity (TA) levels are high as is the case with very hard water, which seems more likely, then that is a problem since it means the water can cause calcium carbonate scaling. You should get a more complete water analysis before making a decision. Quite frankly, I'll bet the 4000 ppm TDS measurement is bogus. Get the CH and TA readings. Unless the CH is very high, you can lower the TA and manage the pool though with evaporation and refill the CH will climb over time if the CH of the fill water is high.