pH Test Kits are commonly used when there is a concern with your drinking water quality. Our 14 in 1 Water Test Kit detects pH levels from 4.5 mg/L to 9.0 mg/L.
pH in drinking water is commonly discussed when referring to your drinking water quality and most don’t understand what it means. Basically pH refers to the levels of electrically charged particles in water. Your pH levels indicate if your how acidic or alkaline your water is and pH in water ranges from 0 to 14.
- Acidic Water (0 to 7) Acidity in your water is determined when your water pH levels are lower than 7. The highest acidity is 0 and a battery falls within this range.
- Alkaline Water (8 to 14) Water with a pH result of 8 or more is classified as Alkaline. Sodium Bicarbonate or Baking Soda has a pH reading of 14.
- Pure Water (7) The best pH level that you want to achieve is 7. Water with this reading is considered as pure water and neutral as it is neither acidic or alkaline.
What is the best level of pH for drinking water
The National Health and Medical Research Council is in charge of monitoring drinking water across Australia and have guidelines to follow, these were updated October 2017 and you can read more about the guidelines here: Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
The ideal pH reading for drinking water in Australia is in-between 6.5 and 8.5. This level is considered safe and at this level corrosion and scaling of pipes and fittings is minimised.
Most of Australia’s mains and tanks are cement lined. When water is stored in cement mains or tanks for an extended amount of time, the level of pH can increase and a value of 9.2 is still considered as being acceptable for drinking purposes.
Can I do anything about my pH levels in water?
If you find that your pH levels are either too high or low, correction can be done by adding chemicals to your drinking water source, as an example fluoride and chlorine can change the pH levels though it is suggested to seek professional advice from your local council or water specialist before proceeding with treatment. To understand your water pH reading, test your water with pH Test Kits.
What does it mean when my pH levels change to unsafe levels?
pH levels in fresh water across Australia will vary depending on weather conditions, human activity and natural conditions. This can be out of your control so monitoring your pH levels can be a good idea if your water quality is not monitored. Australian homes with water tanks and damns should monitor their water quality on a regular basis.
Water with either high or low pH levels can indicate that there is contamination from chemicals or heavy metal pollution. This is common in farming and industrial areas.
pH levels that don’t fall within 6.5 and 8.5 may not necessarily be hazardous though high alkaline levels in water can come with an unpleasant colour, taste or smell and it can also cause issues with pipes that deliver your water.
Water that is too acidic water is most likely contaminated with pollutants making it unsafe to drink and can corrode metal plumbing. In both cases a thorough investigation should be performed in order to determine the cause and impact.
Local water suppliers regularly test the level of pH in their water along with many other parameters. When pollutants are found they treat the water to make it safe for drinking purposes.
Alkaline Water and Health Claims
Alkaline water over the past few years has become a popular trend among the health conscious. Its suggested that drinking slightly alkaline water with a pH level between 8 and 9 can improve your health.
Many suggest that alkaline water can have anti-aging properties, colon-cleansing properties, help the immune system, support hydration, skin health, and other detoxifying properties including weight loss and cancer resistance.
Too much alkalinity is also known to agitate the body’s normal pH, leading to metabolic alkalosis, a condition that may produce symptoms like nausea, vomiting, muscle twitching and confusion.
Many professionals argue against the these ideas saying that there is not enough research to support the claims and suggest drinking within the guidelines set by the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Testing Drinking Water with pH Test Kits
Local water distributors monitor pH levels regularly so in most cases drinking water from city water suppliers does not need to be tested though in many cases its discovered that water can become contaminated once leaving the water dams. If you find that the family is constantly ill or suspect that the water has an odd smell or colour. Testing your water with pH Test Kits can be a good way to determinate if there is an issue with your water quality.
If you notice that your plumbing or fittings are changing in colour, example rusty red, white or blue in colour you might want to test your water from many locations to be safe. This discoloration of can be a sign of plumbing being eroded by acidic water. Test your water with ph Test Kits and ask a plumber to insect your pipes and repair if required.
Testing the level of pH in our drinking water is inexpensive, you can either ask a professional to test it for you or you can purchase a pH Test Kit which normally also test other parameters including, lead, chlorine and more.
When using pH Test Kits, ensure that tests are done from many locations. Its quite common to get varied results from one test to the next as the quality of your water can vary due to rusted pipes in one location and not the next.
pH Water Quality Summary
If you are suspicious about your drinking water quality, this can either relate to smell, taste, colour, sudden unexplained sicknesses in the family, suspicious plumbing, dams, water tanks, chemical leaks or anything that you feel might impact the quality of your water, have it tested. pH Test Kits are inexpensive and you can generally get enough test strips to test your water quality for a whole year for less than the cost of dinner for two.
When using pH Test Kit ensure to get water samples from several locations, if testing water from your faucets, test from many locations throughout your home. If testing water tanks, test each one. Damn water should also be tested at several points as the water does not circulate. You might find that one side has a higher reading than the other.
If you find that your pH levels fall within the 6.5 and 8.5 range there is nothing else to do unless you feel that there is something wrong with your water. If you find that your pH levels fall out of the 6.5 to 8.5 range, seek advice from a water specialist, plumber or your local council.
Keep in mind that you can also purchase a water filter container or install a water filter system which normally filters out many contaminants. A water filter specialist can help with determining the best water filter to use though they wont be able to identify the source of any problems.
For more information you can also download a copy of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG).
