pH and Water
So, what does pH mean for water?
Basically, the pH value determines whether water is hard or soft. The pH of pure water is 7. In general, water with a pH lower than 7 is considered acidic, and with a pH greater than 7, basic. The normal range for pH in surface water systems is 6.5 to 8.5 and for groundwater systems 6 to 8.5. Alkalinity is a measure of the capacity of the water to resist a change in pH that would tend to make the water more acidic. The measurement of alkalinity and pH is needed to determine the corrosiveness of the water.
In general, water with a low pH (< 6.5) could be acidic, soft, and corrosive. Therefore, the water could contain metal ions such as iron, manganese, copper, lead, and zinc...or, on other words, elevated levels of toxic metals.
This can cause damage to metal piping, and have associated aesthetic problems such as a metallic or sour taste, staining of laundry, and the characteristic "blue-green" staining of sinks and drains. More importantly, there are health risks associated with these toxins.
Water with a pH > 8.5 could indicate that the water is hard. Hard water does not pose a health risk, but can cause aesthetic problems. These problems include an alkali taste to the water (making that morning coffee taste bitter!), formation of a deposit on dishes, utensils, and laundry basins, difficulty in getting soaps and detergents to lather, and formation of insoluble precipitates on clothing.
While the ideal pH level of drinking water should be between 6-8.5, the human body maintains pH equilibrium on a constant basis and will not be affected by water consumption. For example our stomachs have a naturally low pH level of 2 which is beneficial acid that helps us with food digestion.
A Reverse osmosis system is very effective in elliminating an unballances pH problem in your drinking water and can remove 90-99% of all contaminants from city and well water to deliver healthy drinking water for you and your family.
