Does the pH level of your drinking water matter? You may have heard the term “pH” to describe the quality of drinking water, but not many of us know what it means and why it is important to know the pH level of the water we drink on a daily basis.
What is pH?
pH is a measure of electrically charged particles in an element. The pH value of a substance determines if it is acidic or alkaline.
The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. If the water is acidic, its pH will be below 7. Highly acidic substances like battery acid have a pH of 0.
Alkaline water has a pH value that’s greater than 7. The most alkaline substances may have a pH of 14, such as lye.
Pure water has a pH of 7 and is regarded as “neutral” because it’s neither basic nor acidic.
The Acceptable pH Levels for Drinking Water
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors the quality of municipal drinking water across the country. According to the agency, water supply companies should maintain the pH level between 6.5 and 8.5.
The pH of fresh drinking water depends on the weather patterns, natural processes, and human activity in an area. Extreme levels of pH indicate the presence of chemicals or heavy mineral pollution in the water.
However, it’s important to note here that if the pH of water doesn’t fall between 6.5 and 8.5, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the water is unsafe. But if it has a very high pH value, it’ll have a bitter taste and may cause corrosion in the pipes and other equipment that may come in direct contact with the water.
In the same way, if your drinking water has a significantly low pH value, there’s a risk of higher contamination of harmful chemicals and heavy metals. Acidic water is unsafe for drinking and may also corrode metal pipes.
How Does the pH Value of Drinking Water Affect Your Health?
While many people believe that we should only drink water with a neutral pH, there is significant research suggesting that alkaline water is highly beneficial for human health.
Alkaline water has become a popular trend in the US because of its enormous health benefits.
Alkaline water has anti-aging properties and several studies claim that alkaline water can significantly improve your physical health and wellbeing.
Alkaline drinking water improves the metabolism in the human body and can enhance your body’s ability to absorb nutrients. Some theorize that it starves cancer cells, possibly slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells.
Alkaline water that has a pH value of 8.8 can also be used to help treat acidic reflux.
Alkaline water can also be benefit patients with diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
At AAA Water Systems, we offer reverse osmosis filtration for the whole house and build customized water treatment systems and private wells for people who have special concerns regarding the pH of their drinking water.
If you’re looking for water treatment options, feel free to contact us. We offer home water treatment systems in CA and commercial water treatment systems in all 50 states.
While many people believe that we should only drink water with a neutral pH, there is significant research suggesting that alkaline water is highly beneficial for human health.
Alkaline water has become a popular trend in the US because of its enormous health benefits.
Alkaline water has anti-aging properties and several studies claim that alkaline water can significantly improve your physical health and wellbeing.