Kansas Geological Survey, Public Information Circular (PIC) 2
Salt Contamination of Ground Water in South Central Kansas--Part 2 of 5
Salt
When talking about "salt," most people think of table salt or rock
salt--sodium chloride--but the term is often used to mean almost any
dissolved minerals or inorganic constituents found in water. The salt
content of water, also referred to as salinity or total dissolved solids
(TDS), is an important water-quality factor. Excessive salt content can
make water unpleasant, harmful to plants and animals, or uneconomic to
use. In addition, high-salinity water contributes to the deterioration
of domestic plumbing and water heaters, and municipal and industrial
water-works equipment. Table 1 illustrates how salinity limits the use
of water for domestic and agricultural uses.
Table 1--Water-quality threshold indicators for domestic and
agricultural uses. Chloride concentration (Cl) is the primary indicator
of salinity; corresponding TDS values are approximations for sodium
chloride type ground water.
Kansas Geological Survey, Geology Extension
Web version Nov. 1995
http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/pic2/pic2_2.html