Water Filters With High pH Levels

Risks of Acidic Water

• While tap water is usually on the acidic side (pH below 7), the EPA actually recommends an optimal water pH of 6.5 to 8.5. The problem with corrosive, acidic water is that it tends to dissolve lead more easily than alkaline water. This raises a number of health concerns as lead is detrimental to human health. You can test your own water to determine whether it is at a safe level, or if a high pH filter might be best for your house. Water at a pH of 8 to 8.5 also tends to help chlorine oxidize iron and maganese, improving the purity of your water.

Acid-Neutralizing Filters

• Water acidity can be neutralized with the addition of substances that have a high pH, such as sodium carbonate, or by passing the water through a low pH filter. Some water companies add pH-raising chemicals to water to reduce corrosiveness and help treat it more efficiently. Signs of high acidity in water include green water stains, metallic taste and blackened or tarnished pipes and utensils. Test the pH of your water to confirm the problem and add magnesium oxide with calcite, or lime at a filter placed at the entrance of water into your home system. Such filters usually consist of a corrosion-resistant tank filled with the alkaline substances, which dissolve as water flows through them. More complex systems involve chemical feeding with material such as soda ash, but they require more maintenance

Alkaline Water Benefits

• A contentious debate exists over the actual health benefits of high-pH water. Many companies claim that alkaline water boosts the immune system, improves the metabolism and slows aging, but research has not confirmed these claims. There is also some discussion of the possibility of alkaline water improving bone density. Since the human body naturally has a slightly alkaline pH level, proponents of the argument suggest high pH water makes the body function better.

Alkaline Water Treatment

• Water filtration systems that claim to raise the pH of water may use simple alkaline additives, or may employ an ionization treatment. Ionization systems work by encouraging negative ion development, which breeds an alkaline environment. Many of these home-based filtration systems work side-by-side with other filtration systems and do not always purify water on their own. You can raise the pH of your water easily by adding baking soda or other alkaline substances.