Old post but I started playing again recently and I can say for sure, Water gives off a bad first impression.
Every other element starts with their basic enchantment spell, allowing them to have more power and interaction in battle. But Water starts with a weak heal spell, that has a very situational (specially at early game) secondary effect, so it ends up not being used most of the time, making you feel like you have 1 less skill most of the time.
And I know getting the first level should remedy that, but it doesn't. You're kinda forced to pick the basic bubble spell, to START doing something with water, but that comes at the cost of any other skills the player might have preferred to get. So while other elements are picking their first lvl up skills to start building their combos or trying different spells/builds, Water is forced to spend a lvl up making up for their start. And early levels are a TEDIOUS grind, specially when you have a start as weak as Water has.
Now there is also the chance of missing the basic bubble spell on lvl up, which just leaves water feeling like it does nothing at all.
Viewing post in Is it just me, or is Water extremely underpowered?
I don't think the heal is bad at all. It's actually the best spell Water gets, and I've discovered that Bubbles can be good depending on your build. It's just the rest of the Water spells that do nothing. I'd even say Water's heal is better than Wind's heal, but Wind has the advantage of being a really strong element overall, just with a worse heal spell.