Hydrochloric acid (HCl) typically lowers pH due to its H+ ion contribution, making it challenging for a solution of HCl and water to exceed a pH of 7. However, under specific conditions, such as using very dilute HCl in cold water, it is theoretically possible for the pH to be slightly above 7. This occurs because the self-ionization of water can lead to a higher pH at lower temperatures, where pure water's pH can exceed 7. Despite this, any addition of HCl generally results in a net decrease in pH. Therefore, while there are scenarios where the pH could be greater than 7, they are limited and require precise conditions.