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ASSESSING THE ACIDITY OF WATER DRAINING INTO RIVERS AND ESTUARIES
Introduction
Effect of Acidity
Visual signs
Testing pH
Reporting
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ASSESSING THE ACIDITY OF WATER DRAINING INTO
RIVERS AND ESTUARIES
Introduction to acidity and pH
The acidity of water is usually measured with the pH scale. This is a number that varies between
1 and 14. A pH of 7 is said to be neutral. A pH value of more than 7 is said to be alkaline, and a
pH of less than 7 is said to be acidic. The degree of acidity increases as the pH value decreases
below 7.
A drop of one pH unit means that the acidity increases ten times. For instance, a pH of 2 is ten
times more acidic that a pH of 3.
The following figure shows the pH of some common substances.
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