Is water a conductor of electricity?

Water itself is not a conductor of electricity. In order for a substance to carry charge, two conditions must first be met:

1. There must be charged particles within the substance (either ions or electrons) and
2. These particles must be free to move It is true that in water (H₂O) the discrete molecules are free to move, however, they carry no charge.

The only reason water can sometimes conduct electricity is because of the minerals (metallic solids) already present in the water.

-Evelyn