本文回顾了美国水务工程协会关于饮用水质量的政策声明和美国环境保护局关于饮用水中总溶解固体（TDS）的标准。总结了加州矿物口味研究（CMTS）的数据，该研究建立了TDS与消费者和味觉小组成员评估的味觉质量之间的功能关系。CMTS数据表明，对于矿物质含量，450 mg/L的TDS将产生优质水，80 mg/L的TDS将产生优质水。对全系统除盐和个人消费者购买瓶装水的成本比较表明，对居民消费者来说，全系统除盐的成本可能更低。 当为特定公用事业开发此类信息时，可以向社区展示，并用于就全系统水处理做出知情决定，以将TDS降低到与良好或优良水质一致的水平。包括29个参考文献、表格和图表。

This article reviews the American Water Works Association Statement of Policy on Drinking Water Quality and the US Environmental Protection Agency standard for total dissolved solids (TDS) in drinking water. Data from the California Mineral Taste Study (CMTS), which established a functional relationship between TDS and taste quality assessed by consumers and taste-panel members, are summarized. The CMTS data indicate that for mineral content a TDS of 450 mg/L will result in a good quality water and that a TDS of 80 mg/L will result in an excellent quality water. A cost comparison between systemwide demineralization and the purchase of bottled water by individual consumers shows that systemwide demineralization may be less costly to the residential consumer. Such information, when developed for a particular utility, can be presented to the community and used to make an informed decision regarding systemwide water treatment for reducing TDS to levels consistent with good or excellent water quality. Includes 29 references, tables, figure.