We are promoting rainwater harvesting in Guatemala. Water analysis indicated that the harvested rainwater has a lower pH value than what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests. They say water pH value is a secondary drinking water standard and recommend a pH between 6.5 and 8.5 for drinking water.
The pH of the harvested rainwater in our area varies between 4 and 5.
Are there any negative effects on the human metabolism drinking water with low pH level? Can we slightly increase the pH level by any household water treatment methods?
low pH is not good for human health. I suggest you try and assess the originality of the problem. Is it because of acid rain, is because of chemicals such as paintings from the roof or is the container or tank used for water harvesting. I think you need to do risk assessment if the cause is not natural. Water harvesting is a very good initiative and must be encouraged.
Any water that the PH is lower with this values is not good to the human system.Y you are adding more acidity to your system.I would advice since the pH is low try increasing the pH value with household alkaline method.
Drinking water with a pH lower than 5.00 is not good for health. You have to correct pH to 6.5 minimum vith calcium carbonate or limestone, and measure the pH value after corrction, so it is always under 8.5. You also have to filter this water and to ensure yourself it is desinfected.
Yes.... Drinking Water That has a PH Of 5 or less is harmful. It can make Acid reflexes in your systems.You can correct the PH By mineralising(Calcium,Magnesuim, Potasuim) the Water this can Be done By passing your water Thru the Mineral cartridge.This can also be done by adding Herbs and spices to water.
You must consider how you will sterilise the water, and for the sterilization to be effective you will need to increase the pH, unless it is a UV system you are using, even so at a pH of 4-5 skin irritation, possible irritation of the throat and eyes may also occur, you may consider filtration through a calcite media to increase the pH, but if this water is collected from a roof our surface it should be sterilised.
If you collect rainwater properly it is potable right out of the tank. Use plastic piping, non caustic glues, a potable tank, throw a limestone in the tank, monitor regularly and your set.
As mentioned there are several ways to raise the ph and charcoal and UV to filter if you have the concern.
Rain water harvesting is really worthy and lucrative for mankind. Very frank, artificially or chemically improving pH value water is not at all good for human being. Sure it creates much more problems for all consumers. Instead of drinking, we can go or utilize it for irrigation purpose.
Rainwater is delicious! It makes your skin feel lovely and makes the best cup of tea! We only have rainwater for all our water needs. You only need a fraction of the soaps and washing powders etc as it lathers really well. I'm pretty sure you will get all the electrolytes and salts you need from your food if you have a healthy diet. We don't filter or treat our water at all and we have young children. The biggest concern is definitely your pipes and cooking equipment. If you have metals in your plumbing they could leach into the water at that pH.
you may have a disease after decades of drinking rainwater without any treatment. Long term effects need time. Until now, only some of groundwater can be drunk directly without treatment.
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by Walter Cao, Unemployed - seeking working - Job Seeker
You will not have any issues drinking rain water. Your biggest concern will be bacteria and a small amount of household bleach will solve that and by default raise the PH.
For gravity feed this can be done using a sand filter having mixed limestone or corals to adjust it from local quarries a thought for low-tech, low pH is why the lead poisoning happened in Flint, MI, it came out of their piping.
You can easily run the low pH water through your household water treatment to bring back the pH. The concern of low pH water is more related to you pipping system, containers. Simple run this water through activated carbon filter will also help to bring water back to close to neutral.
Rainwater with a pH of 4 to 5 IS dangerous to health if it is in contact with aluminium metal. Although short-term effects are unlikely to cause problems, the long term effect of drinking acidic water that has been in contact with aluminium can be severe. It is one of the environmental factors that are responsible for the development of Alzheimer's Disease, by stimulating the amyloid cascade process that leads to plaque development in the brain. The risk of AD doubles i areas where the water supply contains only 0.1mg/l of Al. I experienced this problem at first hand in Britain thirty years ago, and was involved in collecting brain samples for analysis later by Chris Exley at Keele University, UK. A number of people almost certainly died with early-onset dementia as the consequence of their exposure. In that case the Al concentration was far above anything you are likely to experience in practical terms, but any action that solubilises aluminium, by allowing water with a low pH to come into contact with it, rendering it bioavaiable, should be avoided at all costs. So by all means collect the water - but avoid allowing it to have any contact with aluminium pans etc, unless the pH has first been raised above 6, at which level aluminium is virtually insoluble.
Interesting reminder for me as I recall back in the 1980's working with Leeds University hospital renal unit, looking at the use of Reverse Osmosis and ion-exchange system, to ensure Al levels could be met for water used in renal dialysis wards, high risk patients. Connection of low level of Al and Alzheimer's Disease had been established.
While I'm not a doctor, I think drinking acidic water is bad for your bones, and digestive system. I would research further before proceeding.
My assumption is that this project is to assist with lower socio-economic development areas?
If this is the case, I would recommend sea shells as a media for the water to pass through to help stabalise the pH, if you are on a shoe string budget. Obviously these will need to be steralised first.
Generally, Caustic soda is dosed in water treatment, to raise pH. Obviously this requires an effective pH monitoring system, linked to a variable speed dosing pump. I recommend you investigate the alkalinity of the water too, as this may be the cause. maybe look at the material the water is collecting from too, the pH you have quoted seems pretty extreme for rainwater. Acid rain? Generally this is produced in larger populated areas.
Considering that the stomach pH is pretty low, I do not think there would be any harm to the GI tract from drinking the rainwater due to low pH. However, most minerals are more soluble at lower pH - so any container in with which the water comes into contact, may leach more.
With such a low conductivity there is no buffering capacity to the water and a stable pH value cannot be tested. There are no health related issues consuming low pH...other than anecdotal stories from non professionals. If you wish to add minerals and test pH, calcite media is inexpensive and easy.
Issues could be irritation and scavenging of minerals in the digestive system. More serious is its corrosive effect on metal pipes, storage thanks or other metal components that could come in contact with this water. If there are heavy metals present. They will be leached into the water. Heavy metals have very serious health consequences in humans. To increase the pH, If using calcium or sodium hypochlorite to disinfect this water, then the pH should go up to range. If you are using a non chemical disinfecting method, then the use of soda ash is recommended. Most important is to determine what is causing the low pH, most cases is CO2, but it could be due to acid rain. Understanding the make up of this water is important to develop a treatment plan that is economical and effective. There are plenty of technologies out that could help you solve this challenge.
The indicator for acidity, alkalinity, or basic is known as the pH value. A pH value of 7 means a substance is neutral. The lower value indicates acidity, and a higher value is a sign of alkalinity. To better understand the range in pH, take a look at these examples:
Apple Juice - 3 Orange Juice - 3.5 Coffee - 5.5 Milk - 6.2 Baking Soda - 8.5
Soapy water - 10 Bleach - 12
in our highest quality waters in Alaska (25,000 years old) we have a high pH keeping it alkaline. This is preferable for human health, but it is a 'fine' water and next to the best bottled water in the world.
want more? Just ask Ric Davidge, The Water Czar/Alaska
In my opinion the low pH is a problem. This is supported by a pretty good body of research. In addition problem is the fact that rain water contains no minerals. It's been shown that drinking distilled water, wh
In Bermuda, the inhabitants utilize limestone roofing which is used to collect rainwater and then conveyed to underground storage tanks.
Aquatic organisms is the major concern with water storage and treatment. If the water has been tested and found to be safe for drinking with the exception of pH, it would be no worse than drinking carbonated soft drinks or coffee; which have low pH values.
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by Roland M. Arsenault, Environmental Engineer at Catalyst Paper