|  | Public Health Safety | Environmental Health

What PH Level Is Good for Well Water?

In general, a pH value of 7 is neutral. If the pH number is lower than 7, then the substance is acidic. If it is higher than 7, then it is alkaline, or basic. Drinking water should be a certain pH level for health and taste reasons whether it comes from a well or from a water treatment plant.

  1. Good pH Levels

    • Drinking water from a well should be between pH levels of 7 and 8.5. If the pH level is lower than 7, this can lead to several problems for an individual's health and his home's plumbing. Levels with higher numbers are not a health risk, but the water can have a strange taste, including bitter when you make coffee.

    High pH Level Problems

    • Well water with pH levels over 8.5 can be a sign that you have hard water. Your drinking water might have an alkali taste. You might also notice deposits on your dishes and eating utensils after washing them. With hard water, you can also have difficulty getting soaps and detergents to lather. On your clothing, you might notice insoluble precipitates after doing laundry. If you wash your hair with hard water, it might feel damaged and dry as well as thinning and breaking. Your skin might often feel dry and scaly after a shower.

    Low pH level Problems

    • These problems are much more serious. A low pH level could be a sign that you have elevated levels of toxic metals such as iron, copper and zinc in your water. This can cause damage to your home's pipes, staining of your laundry and a blue-green stain in sinks. When you see this blue-green stain, that is a sign of copper leaching from your plumbing. When you drink this well water, you might complain of a sour or metallic taste. If there's any lead in the water from the pipes, this can cause lead poisoning if you drink it over an extended period of time.

Environmental Health - Related Articles