A pH above 7 means the fluid is alkaline (basic) and a pH below 7 is acidic.

The higher the pH number the more alkaline it is, and the lower the number the greater the acidity. For reference, the normal pH of our blood is slightly alkaline, with a range of 7.35 to 7.45. The fluid in the human stomach is very acidic, with a usual pH of 1.5 to 3.5.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that town water pH should range between 6.5 and 8.5, with most town water averaging around 7.5. Common bottled waters are usually close to neutral at a pH of 7.0. Bottled alkaline water has a higher pH between 8 and 9.