Blog · June 15, 2026 · 5 min read
What Is Alkaline Water? pH, Minerals, and What to Look For
Alkaline water is water with a pH above 7.0. That much is simple. What's less obvious is why the pH is elevated, how it was made, and whether any of that matters for what you're trying to do with it.
What pH Actually Measures
The pH scale runs from 0 to 14. Pure water at room temperature sits at 7.0, neutral. Below 7 is acidic. Above 7 is alkaline. Each step on the scale represents a 10x change in hydrogen ion concentration — so 9.0 is 100 times more alkaline than 7.0, not just 2 units more.
Tap water in most municipalities, including Rancho Cucamonga, runs somewhere between 7.0 and 8.0 depending on the source blend and treatment chemistry. It's not acidic, but it's not alkaline either.
Two Ways to Make Water Alkaline
Most alkaline water you'll encounter was made one of two ways:
1. Mineral addition. Water is filtered (often by reverse osmosis first) and then minerals — typically calcium, magnesium, and potassium — are added back in controlled concentrations. These minerals are naturally alkaline and raise the pH. This is straightforward mineral chemistry. The water at Crystal Alkaline Water at 8.5 and 9.5 pH is made this way.
2. Electrolysis (ionization). Water passes through an electrolysis chamber with metal plates carrying an electric charge. The charge separates the water into an alkaline output and an acidic output. The alkaline output, often called electrolyzed reduced water (ERW) or Kangen water, has elevated pH, a negative oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), and dissolved molecular hydrogen (H₂). This is a different process than mineral addition, and it produces measurably different water.
What Mineral-Enhanced Alkaline Water Contains
When minerals are added after reverse osmosis filtration, the resulting water has:
- Elevated pH (8.5 or 9.5 depending on mineral concentration)
- Calcium, magnesium, and potassium — the same minerals found naturally in spring water
- Higher total dissolved solids (TDS) than pure RO water
- No molecular hydrogen (H₂) — that requires electrolysis
This type of water is stable and has a long shelf life. The alkalinity doesn't change over time the way ionized water can.
What Ionized (Kangen) Water Contains
Ionized water produced by electrolysis has:
- Elevated pH (9.5 or higher)
- Negative oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), a measure of the water's reducing capacity
- Dissolved molecular hydrogen (H₂) — the concentration is highest immediately after production and dissipates over time
Because the H₂ dissipates, freshness matters more with ionized water than with mineral-enhanced alkaline water. Crystal Alkaline Water produces Kangen water fresh daily.
What About Reverse Osmosis Water?
Reverse osmosis produces the purest output. The RO membrane removes dissolved contaminants — fluoride, PFAS, heavy metals, nitrates — at the molecular level. The result is water near 7.0 pH with very low TDS. Nothing added, nothing remaining except H₂O.
RO water is neutral, not alkaline. It's the right choice for cooking (where you don't want minerals affecting flavor), for baby formula, and for anyone who wants the cleanest possible base. At Crystal Alkaline Water, RO is $0.53/gallon, the most affordable option.
What to Look For When Buying Alkaline Water
Not all alkaline water is the same. Before buying, ask:
- How is the alkalinity created? Minerals added to filtered water, or electrolysis? Each has different properties.
- What was the source water? Alkaline water made from filtered tap water that went through reverse osmosis is different from water that was just adjusted with additives.
- What filtration process did the water go through before alkalinization? Adding minerals to unfiltered tap water produces alkaline water with contaminants still in it.
- For ionized water: how fresh is it? The molecular hydrogen concentration drops quickly after production. Kangen water you fill from a store that makes it daily is measurably different from a bottle that sat in a warehouse for weeks.
At Crystal Alkaline Water: All water — RO, alkaline, and Kangen — starts with Cucamonga Valley Water District tap water run through our 9-stage AMPAC filtration system. The filtration removes chlorine, heavy metals, fluoride, and PFAS before any mineral or ionization step. See our full purification process.
Want to go deeper on alkaline water science, health research, and how to pick the right water?
Read: Kangen Water vs. Alkaline Water — What's Actually Different →* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and services are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
