Drinking Water pH - What Is Good?

Imagine yourself gulping down a glass of cold water, only to realize too late that it had a pH level of about 3 - the same as vinegar!

What It Means

Drinking Water pH tells you how acidic your water is. The symbol “pH” means how much “potential hydrogen” is mixed into your water. Drinking Water pH is measured on a scale of 0-14. Neutral is 7, and shows there is neither acid nor alkalinity present. Only distilled water has a neutral pH. A measurement below 7 lets you know that acid is present, and a measurement above 7 indicates alkalinity in your water.

Drinking Water pH presents results somewhat like those in the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Sometimes your water is too acidic, sometimes too alkaline, and sometimes just right.

Normal

The normal range for Drinking Water pH in ground water is between 6 and 8.5.

Low pH

Water with a low pH is acidic. It is “soft” water and may be corrosive. Low Drinking Water pH can leach metals from pipes and fixtures, damaging them and giving a metallic or sour taste to it and beverages made with it. Low Drinking Water pH may also indicate the presence of toxic metals.

High pH

A Drinking Water pH above 8.5 could tell you that your water is hard. High Drinking Water pH can produce an alkali taste. This will make coffee and tea taste bitter. A high Drinking Water pH can also produce build-up of scale on pipes and fixtures, dishes, utensils, and basins.

What Are the Health Effects of Low Drinking Water pH?

When Drinking Water pH is in the 2.5-3 range, there is no immediate direct effect on human health. The pH values of carbonated beverages lie between 2 and 4. Apples are 2.9 - 3.3. Other foods are more or less acidic. The taste may not be as pleasing, but health should not decline because of low Drinking Water pH.

What Are the Health Effects of High Drinking Water pH?

There is reason to believe, based on scientific studies, that higher Drinking Water pH levels may be beneficial to human health. Alkaline water, produced by an ionizer, keeps your body in better balance, offsetting the acids from foods, stress, and bad habits. While your body can handle slightly acidic water, it is much healthier when your Drinking Water pH is alkaline.