Measurement Unit: uS/cm
Conductivity
A measure of water's ability to conduct electricity, which indicates the total concentration of dissolved ions.
Electrical conductivity measures how well water conducts an electric current. Pure water is a poor conductor; dissolved minerals and salts increase conductivity.
Why it matters
There is no ADWG health guideline for conductivity, but it is a useful operational indicator:
- Correlates closely with TDS — conductivity is often used to estimate TDS (roughly TDS = conductivity x 0.6)
- Rapid field measurement — much faster than laboratory TDS testing
- Change detection — sudden increases can indicate contamination events
Typical values
- Rainwater: 10–50 uS/cm
- Urban treated water: 100–800 uS/cm
- Bore water: 500–5,000+ uS/cm
- Seawater: ~50,000 uS/cm
Related Terms
Check Your Water
See how conductivity levels compare in your suburb with real water quality data.
Disclaimer: Glossary definitions are provided for general educational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional guidance. For specific health concerns about your drinking water, consult a qualified health professional. See our Terms of Use.