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What pH Should My Drinking Water Be?

Medically reviewed by Natalie Butler, R.D., L.D. — Written by Erica Cirino — Updated on March 30, 2019

Acceptable pH levels
Unsafe pH for water
Drinking water pH level chart
Alkaline water
Home tests
Takeaway

The pH of water can vary depending on several factors, including the weather, but tap water typically has a pH of about 7.5.

What is pH?

You may have heard the word “pH” used to describe drinking water quality, but do you know what it means?

pH is a measurement of electrically charged particles in a substance. It indicates how acidic or alkaline (basic) that substance is. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14:

Acidic water has a pH lower than 7. Strongly acidic substances can have a pH of 0. Battery acid falls into this category.
Alkaline water has a pH of 8 or above. Strongly alkaline substances, such as lye, can have a pH of 14.
Pure water has a pH of 7 and is considered “neutral” because it has neither acidic nor basic qualities.

What pH is safe for drinking water?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in charge of monitoring public drinking water quality across the United States.

pH isn’t a quality that falls under EPA regulation because it’s considered an aesthetic quality of water. However, the agency recommends that municipal drinking water suppliers keep their water supply at a pH of 6.5 to 8.5.

What does a changing or unsafe pH mean?

Freshwater pH varies across the world depending on weather patterns, human activity, and natural processes.

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

Water that doesn’t fall in the “safe” pH range of 6.5 to 8.5, particularly if it’s alkaline, isn’t necessarily unsafe. However, very alkaline water can have an unpleasant smell or taste, and it can also damage pipes and water-carrying appliances.

Acidic water with a pH of less than 6.5 is more likely to be contaminated with pollutants, making it unsafe to drink. It can also corrode (dissolve) metal pipes.

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

Common water pH levels

Type of water	pH level
Tap water	Varies; typically about 7.5
Distilled reverse osmosis water	5 to 7
Common bottled waters	6.5 to 7.5
Bottled waters labeled as alkaline	8 to 9
Ocean water	About 8
Acid rain	5 to 5.5

Alkaline water: A new trend

Alkaline water has become a popular drinking water choice over the past few years. Some people say that drinking slightly alkaline water — with a pH between 8 and 9 — can improve your health. They say it may make you age more slowly, maintain a healthy pH in your body, and block chronic disease like cancer.

Despite the many health claims made by alkaline water drinkers and sellers, there’s little to any scientific evidence that alkaline water is healthier than other kinds of drinking water.

But there are a few studies suggesting alkaline water may benefit the health of people with certain medical conditions, such as:

acid reflux (2012 study)
high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol (2001 study)

High alkaline, electrolyzed water may also be helpful after dehydration caused by exercise.

More research is needed to fully support the findings of these small studies.

Testing pH at home

Municipal water suppliers normally do a good job of keeping their water at a normal pH of around 7, so there’s usually no need to do your own home testing.

But if you notice that your faucets and pipes have taken on a rusty red, white, or blue color, you might want to take steps on your own. This discoloration — as well as any discoloration of your drinking water — is a sign of corrosion caused by acidic water. Corroded pipes should be inspected by a professional plumber and replaced if necessary.

It’s fairly easy and inexpensive to test the pH of your drinking water at home. All you need is a home test kit. These come in many different forms at different price points.

Some of the most highly rated pH test products are water quality tester “pens.” Simply dip the pen into a sample of your drinking water and a few moments later receive an accurate pH reading. Two popular models are the 7Pros and Jellas digital water meters.

If your water falls within the EPA recommended range of 6.5 to 8.5, there’s no need to take action.

The takeaway

If your drinking water pH falls outside of the safe range, it’s time to act. Call your local drinking water company to alert them to your test findings.

They may visit your residence to professionally test your water. They should handle the situation if their test also comes back abnormal. Since pH is often a sign of contamination, the water company may run several tests looking for various contaminants.

In the meantime, if you suspect problems with your drinking water — whether it’s pH, a strange texture, a bad taste, or a bad smell — you can purchase a pitcher like the one made by Brita or install a filter system in your kitchen sink. PUR has a popular filter system.

Be sure to keep in communication with your local water provider. Ask for an annual report to stay on top of your drinking water quality.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Acid rain. (n.d.).https://www.epa.gov/acidrain
Drinking water regulations andcontaminants. (n.d.).https://www.epa.gov/dwregdev/drinking-water-regulations-and-contaminants
Gould SE. (2012). What makes things acid:The pH scale.https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/lab-rat/what-makes-things-acid-the-ph-scale/
Information for you about pH in drinking water.(2007).https://www.watersystemscouncil.org/download/wellcare_information_sheets/potential_groundwater_contaminant_information_sheets/9709284pH_Update_September_2007.pdf
Koufman JA, et al. (2012). Potential benefits ofpH 8.8 alkaline drinking water as an adjunct in the treatment of refluxdisease. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1177/000348941212100702
Kulthanan K, et al.(2013). The pH of water from various sources: An overview for recommendationfor patients with atopic dermatitis.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736366/
pH in drinking water: Revised backgrounddocument for development of WHO guidelines for drinking water quality. (2007).http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/chemicals/ph_revised_2007_clean_version.pdf
pH — waterproperties. (2016).https://water.usgs.gov/edu/ph.html
Wang Y. (n.d.).Preliminary observation on changes of blood pressure, blood sugar and bloodlipids after using alkaline ionized drinking water.http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-SHYI200112005.htm
Weidman J, et al. (2016). Effect of electrolyzedhigh-pH alkaline water on blood viscosity in healthy adults.https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-016-0153-8

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Medically reviewed by Natalie Butler, R.D., L.D. — Written by Erica Cirino — Updated on March 30, 2019

PH Of Drinking Water: Acceptable Levels And More - Healthline

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What is pH?

What pH is safe for drinking water?

What does a changing or unsafe pH mean?

Common water pH levels

Alkaline water: A new trend

Testing pH at home

The takeaway

How we reviewed this article:

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