Alkaline water, also known as alkaline ionized water, is referred to as commercially available water with high pH value. The pH is a measure of the acid-base balance of water. Typically, the pH of natural water ranges between 6.5 and 8.5, and it is controlled by the carbon dioxide-bicarbonate-carbonate equilibrium system.
An increase in the amount of dissolved carbon dioxide reduces the pH of water, resulting in acidic water. In contrast, a decreased amount of carbon dioxide increases the pH of water; thus, generating alkaline water.
The pH of water is a major determinant of its corrosivity, which is basically a measure of how destructive water is toward the metals of water distribution systems. Corrosive water has the capacity of dissolving metals, mainly copper and lead, of the plumbing system, which subsequently increases the metal concentration in drinking water, leading to various health-related problems.
Acidic water with pH less than 7 is more corrosive as compared to alkaline water. For this reason, treating the water with alkaline chemicals to increase its pH is considered as one of the best measures of reducing water corrosivity.