The Ultimate Guide To PH For Drinking Water

The pH, or potential hydrogen level, is a measurement ranging from 0-14. Levels that are below 7 are considered acidic with levels greater than 7 are considered to be alkaline, and a pH of 7 is neutral. To be sure that your drinking water pH is safe for drinking, you want to verify that the waters' pH level falls within a range of 6.5 - 8.5.

Ideal pH For Drinking Water Is 6.5 - 8.5

With the pH level ranging from 6.5 - 8.5, the water is considered to be safe. This is because the water is neither acidic nor alkaline enough to be dangerous to the human body. If the water has a pH of less than 6 then the water can be corrosive and be filled with toxic metals. Water that has a pH that is higher than 8.5 can be hard, which poses less of a health risk than acidic water but can taste bad and leave scale deposits on dishes and faucets.

• Acidic water has a pH lower than 7. The most acidic substance has a pH of zero. Battery acid falls into this category.

• Alkaline water has a pH of 8 or above. The most alkaline substance, such as lye, has a pH of 14

• Pure water has a pH of 7 and is considered neutral because it has either acidic or basic qualities.

Average pH Level Of Different Water Types

• Spring (7.0)

• Distilled (5.0 to 7.0)

• Mineral (5.0 to 7.0)

• Sparkling (3.0 to 4.0)

• Well (6.0 to 8.5)

• Alkaline (8.0 to 9.0)

• Tap (7.0 to 9.0)

• Bottled (6.5 to 7.5)

Effects Of Acidic Water

• A Metallic or sour taste of drinking water

• Stained laundry

• Blue-green staining of sinks and other fixtures

Effects Of Alkaline Water

• Bitter tasting

• Scale buildup in plumbing

• Decreased efficiency of electric water heaters

What Are The Health Effects Of pH?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not regulate the pH level in drinking water. They classify pH as a secondary drinking water contaminant whose impact is considered purely aesthetic. The EPA recommends that public water suppliers maintain pH levels that are between 6.5 and 8.5. This is also a good guide for residential well owners.

How To Test The pH Of Water

A simple and cheap pH test can be done on your drinking water. You can go to your local swimming pool store or anywhere that sells swimming pool accessories to purchase a pH test kit. Just follow the direction that came with the kit.

Why Is My Water pH Changing

The earth's freshwater pH varies depending on weather patterns, human activity, and natural processes.

Water with either a high pH or a low pH can be a sign of chemical or heavy metal pollution.

Many municipal water suppliers voluntarily test the pH of their water to monitor pollutants, which may be indicated by a changing pH. When pollutants are present, the municipal water supplier treats their water to make it safe to drink again.

Typical pH Levels For Water

The Effects Of pH Imbalances

With this information, you can get a good idea about other contaminants that are in the water. If your water is acidic (less than 7 pH) you may have problems with leaching metal ions such as iron, manganese, copper, lead, and zinc from the aquifer.  Acidic water can also leach metal ions from your plumbing fixtures and piping. If testing indicates that your water has a high pH (greater than 7 pH) you may have hard water!

Typical these problems are encountered when the water hardness exceeds 100 to 200 milligram (mg) CaCO₃/liter, which is equivalent to 12 grains per gallon. Water can be softened through the use of ion-exchange water softener.

The pH Of Water Can Indirectly Affect Your Health

Water that has a high pH can corrode your plumbing and the plumbing from the city. This can lead to metals leaching into your water. Metals such as iron, manganese, copper, lead, and zinc are commonly found in water that has a high pH.

High pH levels in drinking water can place adults at risk of cancer, stroke, kidney disease, memory problems, and high blood pressure. Children are at a greater risk because there rapidly growing bodies absorb the metals more quickly.

Copper, Iron, Zinc, and Manganese are also classified as secondary drinking water contaminants, water filtration can help filter these out. These contaminants cause hard water and staining problems. If these contaminants are found in high concentrations then the health issue range from nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, kidney disease, liver disease, and nervous system problems.

What Are The Treatments For Water pH Problems

For high pH levels, our Water Purification Company recommends water filtration systems. They will balance acidic water before it enters your home. A reverse osmosis system can treat alkaline water.

Conclusion

If your drinking water pH falls outside of the safe range, it's time to act. Contact us so we can test your water and alert you of our findings. With a complete water test, we can make recommendations to correct the pH imbalance and filter out any other contaminates.