Medford Water Commission to make tap water more alkaline

As part of an effort to make Rogue Valley’s tap water less able to absorb elements such as lead from customers’ old metal pipes and to boost the water system’s infrastructure, Medford Water Commission is increasing the drinking water’s alkalinity by roughly half a point on the pH scale.

Effective Tuesday, Medford’s tap water will go from a pH of roughly 7.3 to a target of 7.8, making the water less acidic and more alkaline, according to a release issued by the water commission Monday morning.

A level of 7 is considered neutral on the pH scale, with anything below deemed acidic and anything above considered to be alkaline. The water commission states that the target falls well within the typical drinking water standard of between 6.5 and 8.5.

The water commission provides municipal tap water in the cities of Medford, Central Point, Jacksonville, the unincorporated area of White City and contracts with the cities of Ashland, Talent and Phoenix.

The pH increase may impact customers in the brewing and food-processing industry who require specific pH-dependent conditions, as well as customers with aquariums and ponds.

The taste and softness of the water will not change, according to an FAQ page on the water commission’s website. It may, however, make the water slightly more prone to “scaling,” which the water commission describes as the white mineral buildup often seen on shower heads, faucets and other places where hot water interacts with fixtures and appliances.

The release describes Medford’s water as “award-winning,” touting its awards from the Southern Oregon Subsection of the American Water Works Association for Best Tasting Water in Southern Oregon last year, beating other water systems serving people in Coos, Curry, Douglas, Josephine, Klamath and Lake counties. Medford Water Commission won the award seven times between 2008 and 2019. 

Medford’s water is regularly tested to have a hardness level of between 1.4 and 2.4 grains per gallon. Any number below 3.5 is considered soft.

The water commission will increase the pH level by adding sodium hydroxide at the water system’s two sources: Big Butte Springs and the Rogue River. The springs have been the Rogue Valley’s primary drinking water source since 1927 and, due to its purity, only requires on-site chlorination to comply with drinking water standards. The Robert A. Duff water treatment plant outside Central Point has treated river water primarily for peak use during the summertime since 1993.

The chemical is used by drinking water plants across Oregon, including by Washington County’s Joint Water Commission, the Eugene Water and Electric Board, Albany and The Dalles. It is also used in water systems around the country that include Denver, Colorado and Dayton, Tennessee.