The Bovis value, also written as Bovis reading or expressed in Bovis units (BU), is used within radiesthesia and energetic measuring methods to describe the assumed energetic quality or vitality of things such as water, food, plants, minerals and spaces.
With vitalized water, structured water and vital water in particular, the Bovis scale is regularly used to compare water before and after treatment.
At Phipower we therefore had tap water and water treated with our Water Vitalizer measured. Strikingly large differences were found: from around 19,000 Bovis for untreated tap water to values above 250,000 Bovis after vitalization. But what does such a number actually mean?
What is the Bovis value?
The Bovis value comes from the world of radiesthesia. The scale is generally linked to the French radiesthesist André Bovis and is used to express what practitioners describe as the bio-energetic quality or vitality of an object, food, location or liquid, given in Bovis units (BU) — you'll also see it called a Bovis reading or Bovis scale. The higher the measured value, the higher the energetic vitality is interpreted to be within this method.
The Bovis scale is not a scientifically recognised physical unit of measurement. A Bovis reading is not comparable to laboratory testing for pH, minerals, bacteria or heavy metals. Treat a Bovis value as an energetic, radiesthetic observation — never as a replacement for chemical or microbiological water analysis.
How does the Bovis scale work?
Roughly 6,500 Bovis is traditionally used as a reference point:
These thresholds vary between radiesthesists, which is why we focus on the same water measured before and after treatment under comparable conditions — see our own results below.
What is the Bovis value of water?
Water is one of the most explored subjects within the world of the Bovis value. According to practitioners, the energetic value can differ between tap water, spring water, mineral water, water from natural streams, vitalized water, vortexed water, water that has been in contact with crystals, and so-called structured water.
So there is no universal Bovis value for tap water. In the measurements carried out for Phipower, the untreated tap water used came in at around 18,800 – 19,000 BU.
Can you raise the Bovis value of water?
Within water vitalization it is assumed that certain treatments can influence the energetically measured value of water. Four commonly used methods:
Vortexing the water
In rivers and mountain streams, water constantly spins, collides and accelerates. A water vortex mimics that movement in a controlled way — in the Water Vitalizer via a magnetic stirrer inside the glass bottle.
Applying light to water
The Water Vitalizer combines the vortex with four LED light frequencies, so you can experiment with movement as well as exposure to different wavelengths of light.
Using crystals
The 2-litre version uses the three crystals of the Golden Triangle: clear quartz, amethyst and rose quartz — traditionally used in combination with water.
Vortexing for longer
Our own measurements show higher values with longer treatment. That does not automatically mean longer is always better, but it does make treatment time an interesting variable for further exploration.
Read next: the influence of LED light on water, 405–850 nm →
Phipower Bovis values: the measurement results
To explore what happens during vitalization, radiesthetic measurements were carried out in March 2025 by Vortex Vitalis on water treated in various ways with the Phipower Water Vitalizer.
The highest reading was therefore more than thirteen times the starting value of the tap water used.
What can we conclude from this?
Within the radiesthetic method used, treating water with vortex technology appears to coincide with a clear change in the measured Bovis value. Differences were also visible between tap water, water that was only vortexed, vortexed water with gemstones, and water where additional energetic applications were used. We find that interesting.
At the same time, Bovis values are not an internationally standardised SI unit. A higher Bovis value does not imply that water is healthier, or that it can prevent or treat illness.
What is vitalized water?
Vitalized water is a term for water treated through movement, vortex technology, light, magnetism or other methods, with the aim of creating properties reminiscent of naturally flowing water. Other terms you will come across: vital water, living water, vortex water, energized water and structured water. These are often used interchangeably, although they do not all mean exactly the same thing.
Read next: Structured Water — the Complete Guide to EZ water, H3O2 and nanobubbles →
What does the Phipower Water Vitalizer do?
The Phipower Water Vitalizer 2.0 litre was developed to let you vortex water easily at home and combine different forms of water treatment. The system includes:
The vortex is the foundation: the water is kept in continuous motion instead of standing still in a bottle or pipe.
How is a Bovis value measured?
A Bovis value is not measured with a conventional electronic sensor. Practitioners use tools such as a pendulum, biotensor or dowsing rod together with a Bovis chart to establish a reading. Because the method depends heavily on the practitioner and there is no standardised protocol, treat it as a comparative energetic observation — for objective drinking-water properties, laboratory analysis remains the appropriate method.
Does a high Bovis value mean healthy water?
No. Within the Bovis method, a high value means a high energetic reading was measured. In itself it says nothing reliable about bacteria, viruses, PFAS, pesticides, heavy metals, nitrate, mineral content or other chemical contamination.
A Bovis reading therefore never replaces a water filter or laboratory analysis when the chemical or microbiological safety of water is in question.
Making vitalized water yourself
If you want to experiment with vitalizing water yourself, a water vortexer or Water Vitalizer makes it straightforward. A set-up that works well:
- plain tap water as a baseline reading;
- 15 minutes of vortexing;
- 30 minutes of vortexing;
- longer vortexing;
- vortexing with or without gemstones.
If you work with radiesthesia yourself, measure the water before and after each step and compare the results — the same approach we used for the measurements below.
Frequently asked questions about the Bovis value
Bovis value and water: our conclusion
The Bovis value is a fascinating concept for anyone exploring vitalized water, vital water, vortex technology and energetic water treatment. Although the Bovis scale has not been scientifically validated, within radiesthesia it can be used to compare water before and after a treatment.
In two measurements from March 2025, within the radiesthetic method applied, the tap water used rose from roughly 19,000 Bovis to a maximum of 250,500 Bovis after treatment.
The Bovis scale is a radiesthetic/energetic measuring method, not a scientifically validated way to establish health or drinking-water safety. Phipower products are wellness and lifestyle products, not medical devices.
