During a dark afternoon in Canton, NY, I watched the circular waves spiraling outward from a gentle rain in a small stream. To my naked eyes, the stream looked clean enough that I had the urge to drink from it. However, one thing to note about this water is that it is relatively acidic. As of 2006, precipitation in Canton had an average pH level of 4.7. This is not the reason why I didn't drink from the stream, however, because this level of acidity is actually perfectly safe to consume. For example, lemon juice has a pH of 2, and it is perfectly safe for a human being to digest. I did not end up drinking it though, because there are many bacteria in the water that could be harmful to my health.