Water is essential to life, but not all water is created equal. One of the most important yet often overlooked aspects of water quality is its pH level. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where water scarcity leads to heavy reliance on desalinated and bottled water, understanding the pH level of water is crucial for ensuring both safety and wellness.
In this blog, we will break down what is the pH level of water, its ideal range for drinking, the impact of various pH levels on human health, and how to check the pH level of water at home or in commercial settings. We’ll also discuss the rising popularity of alkaline water and what role the pH level of alkaline water plays in daily hydration.
What Is the pH Level of Water?
The pH level of water is a measure of how acidic or alkaline (basic) the water is. The scale ranges from 0 to 14:
- A pH of 7 is considered neutral (pure water).
- A pH below 7 is acidic.
- A pH above 7 is alkaline.
The pH level of drinking water is an important indicator of water safety and chemical balance. Ideally, the pH of safe drinking water should fall between 6.5 and 8.5, as per international guidelines, including those from the World Health Organization (WHO).
pH Level of Drinking Water in the UAE
In the UAE, where much of the tap water comes from desalination plants, maintaining a stable and safe pH level is a critical step in water treatment. Most bottled and filtered drinking water in the UAE claims a pH level ranging from 7.5 to 9.5, depending on the source and brand.
Factors that can affect the pH level of drinking water in the UAE include:
- The source of water (desalinated seawater, groundwater, bottled spring water)
- The materials used in storage tanks and plumbing
- The presence of minerals or additives like calcium, magnesium, or sodium bicarbonate
Impact of pH Level on Human Health
Understanding the pH level of water is important because imbalances in pH can affect our health in different ways.
Low pH (Acidic Water – below 6.5)
- May cause metal leaching from pipes (lead, copper), which is dangerous if consumed regularly
- Can result in a sour or metallic taste
- Potentially harmful for those with sensitive stomachs or ulcers
- May contribute to tooth enamel erosion
High pH (Alkaline Water – above 8.5)
- May taste bitter or soapy
- It could interfere with the body’s natural pH balance if consumed in excess
- However, water with a moderately high pH (8–9.5), often referred to as alkaline water, is believed by some to help:
- Neutralize acid in the body
- Improve hydration
- Provide antioxidant effects
- Note: Scientific evidence on the health benefits of alkaline water is still limited, but many consumers in the UAE are turning to it for perceived wellness advantages.
Ion Exchange: Leading the Way in Demineralised Water Solutions
INDION New Generation Swift Softener
The INDION New Generation Swift Softener is designed to remove scale-forming ions like calcium and magnesium from water effectively. Its standout feature is the shorter regeneration time, making it ideal for short-cycle operations. This lightweight and easy-to-install system boasts a quick 30-minute regeneration cycle. Assembled and tested at the factory, all units are ready for installation and commissioning within a day. With auto-operation and low maintenance, it ensures hassle-free usage. Key features include an automatic unit with a multiport valve that can withstand pressures up to 5.5 kg/cm2, a special grade of monosphere resin, low wastewater volume, and a short operating cycle of just 3 hours. It tolerates hardness up to 600 ppm and is constructed with durable fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP). Available in seven models, it offers flow rates ranging from 3.5 m3/h to 20 m3/h, catering to various requirements.
INDION Layered Bed Anion System
The INDION® Layered Bed Anion (LBA) unit is an innovative solution to maximize efficiency and minimize costs. This single-vessel system combines two types of resins, INDION LBA-WB and INDION LBA-SB, in a layered configuration with downflow service. This setup delivers the high chemical efficiency of a traditional two-bed system within one vessel, significantly reducing the need for additional equipment, piping, and valves. The result is excellent treated water quality and optimal use of regenerants, making the system both cost-effective and efficient. The INDION LBA system offers several advantages, including capital cost savings, a smaller footprint, high throughput capacity, and lower operating costs. Its contemporary design also ensures easy integration into existing systems, providing the lowest cost of production for demineralized water.
INDION Layered Bed Cation System
The INDION® Layered Bed Cation Unit is an innovative single-vessel system featuring layers of two resins. It combines INDION weak acid cation resin on top of INDION strong acid cation resin with a downflow service. This design delivers the high chemical efficiency of a two-bed weak acid cation and strong acid cation system within one vessel, eliminating the need for additional vessels, associated piping, and valves. The system enhances the chemical regeneration of the strong acid-cation resins, ensuring superior treated water quality and optimal regenerant utilization. Key advantages include capital cost savings, a lower footprint, and high efficiency in chemical usage due to its substantial throughput capacity.
INDION Elegant: Advanced Twin Bed Deioniser
The INDION Elegant system revolutionizes water treatment with its twin-bed deionised, incorporating state-of-the-art counter-current flow ion exchange technology previously only available in large, custom-designed plants. Utilizing strong acid cation (SAC) and strong base anion (SBA) resins in columns, the system offers optional features like a degasser tower (DGT) and a layered bed anion (LBA) column to produce high-quality demineralized water at significantly lower capital and operating costs. The exceptionally compact, skid-mounted design on a corrosion-resistant frame includes stainless steel pumps and offers a standard range of 10–120 – 120 m³/h in either manual or PLC automatic control modes. It uses INDION uniform particle-size resins in a counter-current mode to produce water with a conductivity of 1–10 μS/cm and reactive silica of 10–30 ppb. Optional HMI provides system status read-outs, audible alarms, and no-flow alarms. With a smaller footprint than conventional demineralizer plants, INDION Elegant ensures minimal installation and commissioning time and cost.
INDION SWIFT 5 Gx Series: Short Cycle Rapid Regeneration
The latest INDION Swift 5 Gx series brings a family of automatic twin-bed deionisers, utilizing advanced counter-flow ion exchange technology, previously exclusive to large custom plants. With a regeneration time of just 35 minutes and a minimum service cycle of four hours, the need for standby plants and large water storage volumes is significantly reduced. This exceptionally compact series is skid-mounted on a corrosion-resistant frame, which includes a stainless steel multi-purpose pump. This pump not only optimizes plant performance during service and regeneration but also offers several recirculation options to maintain high water quality in the treated water tank. Key features of the INDION Swift 5Gx series include enhanced bacterial control, reduced treated water storage costs, near-neutral effluent, and high-quality treated water with conductivity between 1-10 µS/cm. Additionally, it boasts low operating costs, a quick start-up time, and a low footprint, making it an efficient and economical solution for high-quality water needs.
INDION SWIFT Plus Demineralizer
The latest Indion Swift Plus range features advanced automatic twin-bed deionizers with state-of-the-art counter-flow ion exchange technology, previously found only in large, custom-designed plants. These rapid regeneration units are volume-controlled and pre-programmed in a PLC based on the type of feed water, allowing for a swift 35-minute regeneration after a minimum service cycle of two hours. This minimizes the need for a standby plant and reduces the storage of large water volumes. The Indion Swift Plus is exceptionally compact, skid-mounted on a corrosion-resistant frame, and includes a stainless steel multi-purpose pump. Key features include mixed-bed quality water at minimal cost, an additional cation polishing stage for enhanced quality, an average resistivity of purified water at 10 MΩ·cm with neutral pH, a small footprint, and high chemical efficiency. The Swift Plus delivers up to 330 m³/day on feed water of 100 ppm total anion feed, with no need for additional regenerant chemicals and a quick 35-minute regeneration time.
INDION New Generation: Two-Bed Deionisers with Degasser Tower
The INDION Industrial Two-Bed Upflow Deionisers Type CA and CDA units are designed to meet the requirements for producing small quantities of demineralised water, with flow rates ranging from 1.0 to 15.0 m3/h. For larger demands, flow rates can be increased to 35 m3/h by installing multiple units in parallel. These free-standing, compact units are easy to install and maintain. The CA units come equipped with all necessary components for the regeneration of ion-exchange resins. Constructed entirely of plastic, they are corrosion-resistant and require minimal maintenance. The modular design allows for easy capacity enhancement, making them a flexible and efficient solution for your deionisation needs.
Conclusion
The pH level of water plays a critical role in ensuring safe hydration, especially in a climate like the UAE’s, where daily water consumption is high due to heat and lifestyle. Knowing what is the pH level of water, how it affects your health, and how to check the pH level of water empowers individuals to make safer, more informed choices.
While the pH level of alkaline water has gained popularity, it’s important to stay balanced and informed. Whether you’re a household user or managing water quality in a commercial setup, monitoring and maintaining the right pH ensures better health and overall water quality.