Water Filter

Reverse Osmosis - Are you looking to improve the water quality of your supply water to your whole house water system? If so, you’ll probably run across “reverse osmosis systems or reverse osmosis filter” in your search.  I’d like to tell you about the pros and cons of this water treatment system and help provide you the information to make an informed decision.

Additionally, do you know the difference between purification and filtration? The accepted definition for a water purification system is a water maker that produces water free from bacteria and viruses (municipal water systems-tap water are good at this). Whereas filtration filters out of water unwanted chemicals(remnants of pesticides, herbicides, and industrial waste + more) and minerals (iron, manganese, calcium, magnesium and chlorine + others)

What is a reverse osmosis drinking water system or reverse osmosis filter? The reverse osmosis drinking water system relies on the reverse osmosis water filter which is comprised of a chamber separated by a semipermeable membrane. The unfiltered water (feed) is introduced to the chamber and “pure” water is forced through the membrane leaving the impurities concentrated on the input side of the RO filter with purified water(permeate) exiting the filter on the other side of the RO membrane. The water exiting the feed side of the RO filter is highly concentrated with impurities and is called the concentrate flow.

The RO membrane is usually a thin film composite membrane (TFC) but can also be made of cellulose acetate, polyamide,or cellulose triacetate and selectively allows water to pass through due to the size of the water molecule. Anything in the input water that is larger than the water molecule size is prevented from passing though the reverse osmosis membrane. Unfortunately chlorine, found in most public water systems, actively attacks and degrades TFC membranes. So usually an activated carbon filter is included in the RO water system to trap organic chemicals and chlorine. If your whole house water system is fed by  well water, chlorine is not a problem except for times when you sanitize your well.

So, what are the PRO’s of a RO water purification system?

1) The RO water maker system filters out most ions and organic molecules found in public water systems and consumer well water helping to provide a sound foundation for your home drinking water system.

2) Effective at providing pathogen (bacteria and virus) free water.

So, What are the CON’s?

1)  Dangerous chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, chlorine and chlorine byproducts (THMs – trihalomethanes and HAAs-haloacetic acids). These chemicals can freely pass through the porous membrane since they are smaller in size than the water molecule.Chlorine is very effective at destroying microbes, but is a carcinogenic contaminant that should itself be removed from all drinking water before consumption.

2) The human body needs trace minerals that the RO water filter eliminates.

3) Reverse osmosis produces large amounts of waste water, this waste water is known as the concentrate. As a general rule of thumb, depending upon pressure and the size of your unit, the concentrate can be three to four gallons of water for every gallon of purified water produced.

4) Slow … Reverse osmosis is incredibly slow process as compared to other water treatment systems.