Water is a necessity. One could argue it is the ultimate necessity, given that our bodies are made up more of water than anything else. But the purity of the water we consume is a point of contention for many. Some feel that any water is good for you, regardless of the pH level while others say that only water that hovers around the ideal of 7pH is fit for human consumption. So, which one’s right?

7 is the magic number

All water that is 100% pure has a pH level of 7. This is the dead centre of the scale but tap water seldom hits this ideal target. Most water will contain imperfections; particles that will change the pH level to be either less than 7 (acidic) or greater than 7 (alkaline).

Generally speaking, any water between 6.5 and 8.5 is safe to drink and even water that falls outside this range isn’t necessarily unsafe. Heavily alkaline water, however, will often have an unpleasant smell and more acidic water will be more contaminated. Acidic water is also more likely to dissolve your water pipes and wreak havoc on your water-based appliances.

Testing your water supply

It’s easy and inexpensive to test your own tap water. If you notice that your water has a funny taste or smell and have seen signs of discolouration you can order a home testing kit online and it should cost less than a tenner. These should be able to give you an accurate reading and if your waterfalls are outside of the safe range, contact your local water company and let them know what you’ve found.

It’s then their responsibility to solve the problem. They will most likely send out a professional to test the water and confirm your test and they should then do everything in their power to rectify the situation. Of course, the best way to ensure you’re never drinking unsafe water is to install a water filter in your home water system. This way you’ll always be able to enjoy clean water as the filter manages to remove any of the contaminants that could lead to an overly acidic or alkaline reading.

Is alkaline water really that bad?

While acidic water is harmful to drink for obvious reasons, there is a school of thought that suggests alkaline water can actually be beneficial for human consumption. Advocates of alkaline water claim that it helps to maintain mineral and electrolyte balances after heavy exercise and can help people with acid reflux and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) problems if the water is around the 8.8 pH mark.

This, however, is all largely unproven science so it’s probably best to take action if your drinking water is testing as too alkaline. You are much safer sticking to filtered water. Trust us!