A reverse osmosis water system is highly effective and easily maintained. Water filtered by reverse osmosis is virtually devoid of all contaminants. It tends to taste better than water filtered by other means, and it’s safe for both children and adults to drink. Following is a basic breakdown of a standard reverse osmosis water system. What Exactly is Reverse Osmosis Filtration?
A reverse osmosis water filtration system typically contains a pre-filtration system and a membrane-based filtration component. Pre-filtration removes sediment to prevent clogging, while carbon filters draw odor, off-flavors, chlorine and organic contaminants from the water.
The water, passing pre-filtration, undergoes reverse osmosis by traveling through a membrane. The membrane contains sub-micron pores that catch unwanted particles. After passing through the membrane, filtered water overflows into a tank. When you turn on your faucet, the tank of filtered water empties, reversing the flow of the filtered water back through the filtration membrane yet again.
What “Unwanted Particles” Does Reverse Osmosis Remove? Semi-permeable membranes remove a large assortment of particle types during reverse osmosis. Unwanted particles include herbicides, insecticides, detergents, viruses and particles that contribute to water hardness. Other unwanted particles include an array of metals and minerals that directly impact water hardness and flavor. Rates of salt rejection and permeate flow vary according to conditions, such as water temperature and degree of softness. However, reverse osmosis generally removes most common metals and minerals, such as arsenic, cadmium, mercury, silica and lead.
A reverse osmosis water system can also remove many harmful, unpleasant aggregated contaminants and pollution factors referred to as Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). Radioactivity also gets removed at an amount consistently ranging between 95 to 98 percent. Reverse osmosis water filtration systems designed for use at home are typically affordable and fairly easy to install. You can use them to improve your tap water or to remove salt from water for drinking and for watering your plants, garden or small farm.
