If water pH is 8.5, is it considered acidic or alkaline?

A pH of 8.5 indicates that the water is alkaline. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with values below 7 classified as acidic, a pH of 7 considered neutral, and values above 7 categorized as alkaline (or basic). Since 8.5 is above 7, it falls into the alkaline range, meaning there is a lower concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) compared to hydroxide ions (OH-). This higher concentration of hydroxide ions makes the water less acidic and therefore alkaline.