Acidic water is a common problem for homes with private well systems. Blue and green stains are evidence the acid in your water is eating away at copper and brass in your pipes and fixtures. It is also associated with a bitter, metallic taste in your drinking water. Pinholes in copper piping are a common malady in older homes with acidic water. Plus acidic water shortens the life of water heaters and hot water boilers and will often void their warranty.
The pH of groundwater will vary with geology and what type of bedrock the water is seeping through underground. Acidity is measured by the pH value. pH values range between 0 and 14 with 7 being the neutral point. If the water tests at below 7 then it is considered acidic and higher than 7, alkaline. The pH scale is much like the Richter scale used for measuring earthquakes in that a pH of 6 is ten times more acidic than the neutral level of 7.
There is some controversy as to whether drinking acidic water is harmful. Articles such a Dr Denise Moffat’s 2007 piece at avalonhealthinfo.com argue that drinking acidic water can lead to chronic acidosis, an accumulation of more acid than the body can effectively process. The effects of chronic acidosis can be widespread. For instance, a seven-year study by the University of California published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that in nearly 10,000 women studied, those with chronic acid overload were at greater risk for bone loss than those who have normal pH levels. The Diabetes Research Center in Oslo, Norway has conducted research studies and concluded that people drinking water with an acidic content showed a fourfold higher risk for type 1 diabetes.
Buying bottled water isn’t always the answer. Dr Robert Young of New York performed a study testing 60 of the most popular brands of bottles water and found 30 of them to have pH levels below 7 making them acidic.
Fortunately treating water for acid content is fairly easy. Installing an acid neutralizer, which is much like a water softener, takes care of most mild acid problems. They contain a mineral that slowly leaches into the water, raising the pH. More severe acid content may require a mixture of calcite and corsex or in the worst cases, a system that pumps a sodium hydroxide solution into the water when the well pumps runs to neutralize the acid in the water.
Protecting your homes plumbing and heating systems and very possibly your health by treating your water would be an investment that may pay many dividends.