It's no wonder that there is much confusion about ionized water these days. Doing a Google search leads to this Wikipedia article where it says "A water ionizer (also known as a alkaline ionizer) is a home appliance which claims to raise the pH of drinking water by using electrolysis to separate the incoming water stream into acidic and alkaline components."
Already in the first paragraph the article shows a strong bias. To me, this article is absolutely ridiculous. There's no doubt that a water ionizer alters the pH level. A simple pH test from any garden store will prove that the pH level is different.
This is not a "claim", it's a scientific fact. This misinformation that's coming through reputable websites like Wikipedia creates confusion.
Some of our customers who's lives have been massively changed by ionized water live in areas where their water is highly acidic. Many people who drink lake water or live in dry, arid rural areas have dangerously acidic water. (Between 5-6 pH). Usually when they contact us, they share that there whole family has been sick and suffering from gas reflux, gout, lack of energy, etc. By using a water ionizer, they're able to boost the pH level of their water and within a month or 2, the whole family is feeling much better.
Ionized water isn't just for people with highly acidic water though, it's suited for anyone who doesn't have access to pure spring water. Learn more about how water ionizers work.
It's important that you question things and be skeptical. We can't rely on our government or advertising companies to give us the honest truth. Our bodies are 70% plus water! Let that sink in. What happens in a fishtank if the quality of the water gets too low? That's right, they get sick and die. So many people are not hydrating their bodies properly and they're also taking in harmful chemicals when they drink water.
Let's face it, if you're drinking tap water, it's been sitting in massive pipes of questionable quality and soaked in chlorine to prevent micro-organisms. I agree that chlorine is necessary to prevent 'bugs' in water, but you shouldn't be drinking it because it's toxic for your body and kills off friendly bacteria in your digestive track.
Its true that you can 'get by' without drinking ionized water, but if you afford it, it's going to be very helpful for you in the long run to drink higher alkaline water that's full of anti-oxidants.
If you can't afford it right now, at the very least - filter the chlorine out of your water!