The conductivity of water describes the ability of water to conduct electrical current. Materials like copper are highly conductive and are commonly used for electrical wiring in homes. The high conductivity of copper allows current to travel through the wires to the light bulb or ceiling fan. Pure water has a very low conductivity, while seawater has a much higher conductivity. Other types of water must be measured for different reasons. For example, water conductivity measurements are very important in various industrial applications such as cooling towers and boilers.
The reason the conductivity of water is important is that it tells you how many substances, chemicals and minerals are dissolved in the water. The greater the amount of said impurities, the greater the conductivity. Even small amounts of dissolved salts and chemicals can increase the conductivity of water. If you are in charge of a wastewater treatment plant, a significant change in the conductivity of the water may indicate that a contaminant has entered the water. It could be a sign of a sewage leak. The following article serves as a guide to help you understand everything you need to know about the electrical conductivity of water and what it means.
What is the electrical conductivity of water?
The conductivity of water is a term that describes how well water can conduct electricity. The higher the EC of the water, the more electricity it attracts, so using a smartphone in the bathroom or swimming during an ongoing thunderstorm can be dangerous. Since pure water has no impurities inside it, its conductivity is extremely low. For water to conduct electricity correctly, it must contain ions.
When various chemicals and salts dissolve in water, the positive and negative charges become ions. Potassium, magnesium, and sodium are positively charged ions that can affect water. On the other hand, negatively charged ions include carbonate, chloride, and sulfate. Large amounts of substances such as sulfates can cause scale buildup and damage boilers and other industrial equipment. Measuring the electrical conductivity of water in environmental and industrial applications is a very simple and inexpensive way to determine how many ions are present in the water. Once these steps are taken, the water can be properly treated if desired.
Man drinking water
It is important to understand that the electrical conductivity of water must be measured for several reasons. When producing drinking water, the water EC sensor must be less than 1 MS/cm. When working in the pharmaceutical industry, the EC of the water must be much lower, less than 1uS/cm. This water usually measures between 45 and 72 MS/cm, since seawater contains sufficient amounts of salt and other chemicals.
The main conductivity measurements are us/cm and MS/cm, the former being considered smaller than the latter. The unit US/ cm stands for micro-Siemens and there are 100,000 standard SI units of S/cm. For ms/cm, this unit essentially corresponds to 100 micro Siemens per S/CM. By measuring the conductivity of water in any application, you can see if the EC level is too high or too low. With this information, you can take the appropriate steps to resolve your changes.
Factors Affecting the Conductivity Range of Water
There are several different factors that can affect the EC of the water, the main ones related to the temperature of the water. In most cases, higher temperature equates to higher electrical conductivity. It is very important to measure the electrical conductivity of water because a 1 degree Celsius increase in water temperature causes a 2-3% increase in electrical conductivity. If it is necessary to keep the EC of the water at a certain level, even small changes in temperature can cause significant EC fluctuations.
Other factors that determine how EC fluctuates include natural and human influences. Natural factors that affect the EC of water include evaporation and rainfall. Some of the human impacts on water ECs include agricultural runoff, road salt, and septic tank leachate. By understanding what elements can change the EC of water, we can actually change the electrical conductivity of water.
