Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment
A reverse osmosis water filtration system eliminates the need for 5-gallon plastic jugs. It uses household water pressure to push water through a series of water filters including a semi-permeable membrane.
This membrane allows only small molecules through while reducing the majority of dissolved salts, organic materials and bacteria. A carbon post-filter will usually follow — a sort of “polishing” stage.
Removing Contaminants
Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment works to remove contaminants on a molecular level. It does this by placing a semi-permeable membrane between fresh water and concentrated saltwater. When pressure is applied to one side of the membrane, the salt molecules are rejected and water molecules flow through. In the process, the system removes contaminants and sediment from water including lead, volatile organic compounds, PFAS, arsenic, bacteria, viruses and many more.
Reverse osmosis systems remove most contaminants in drinking water. It can even reduce levels of chlorine, total dissolved solids, salts, and arsenic. It also reduces odor and taste, as well as improves the quality of hard water. A typical four-stage RO filtration system uses a carbon filter to protect the RO membrane from damaging particles and adds a final post filter to polish off the water with a great tasting finish.
While municipally supplied water is often award-worthy clean when it leaves the plant, it can pick up a variety of contaminants on its journey to your home. This is especially true for well-water supply homes that are often not subject to the same level of regulated water testing.
Additionally, if your home is on a private water supply, you are responsible for overseeing the quality of your own water and that includes contaminant levels. This is why it Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment is important to consider the use of a reverse osmosis water treatment system.
Removing Bacteria
Bacteria is a common concern with Reverse Osmosis water treatment. While municipal treatment plants work hard to keep bacteria in check, they can’t eliminate every trace of living organisms from aquifers and rivers that flow into the city’s water supply.
Reverse Osmosis works to remove dissolved bacteria by forcing your home’s water through a semi-permeable membrane with tiny pores that are only large enough for water molecules to pass through. Anything larger than a water molecule, including dissolved chemicals and minerals, is rejected by the membrane. The contaminated water remains on the concentrated side of the membrane while the pure water is forced through to the other side by pressure.
This process makes your drinking water safer and healthier by removing a variety of contaminants. This makes Reverse Osmosis one of the most extensive types of filtration on the market.
The resulting bottled water provides high-quality hydration at your fingertips. No more trips to the grocery store Filling Machine Supplier for bottled water and no more plastic bottles that will soon be thrown away. If you want to get even better hydration, a UV disinfection system can be added to your home to kill any remaining bacteria. It’s important to note that while Reverse Osmosis is extremely effective at removing harmful contaminants, it also removes many healthy minerals from the water. Minerals are important for our bodies because they help hydrate us, lubricate joints, and aid in organ function. You can get these minerals from food rather than filtered water, and if you do want to add them back to your water, there are numerous ways to do so.
Removing Chlorine
Reverse osmosis removes chlorine from water by forcing it through a semi-permeable membrane that allows the good water molecules to pass but rejects the bad ones. This process also removes a wide variety of contaminants, including dangerous bacteria and other harmful chemicals.
A reverse osmosis system starts with pretreatment to reduce particles and minerals that can clog the membrane. This is followed by a carbon filter that removes chloride and chlorine from the water. A membrane then filters out a variety of aesthetic and health-related contaminants, as well as other metals such as lead and arsenic. The rejected materials are sent down the drain as wastewater.
The reverse osmosis process uses an array of pressure vessels, each containing a RO membrane. The feed water for the next stage is the concentrate from the previous one. The RO membranes in each stage are scientifically engineered to separate contaminants from the water. The final step is a remineralizer that replenishes healthy minerals such as magnesium and potassium lost during the filtration process, and improves pH balance and water alkalinity for better taste.
A reverse osmosis system is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to be sure their drinking water is safe and clean. However, before buying a system, it is important to find out which contaminants it can and cannot remove. You should also look for a system that is certified to treat the specific contaminants you want to eliminate.
Removing Fluoride
While municipal tap water is award-worthy clean when it leaves the municipal plant, it can pick up a lot of contaminants in the pipes and on its way to your home. Groundwater sources can also have high levels of fluoride which if not removed can cause a host of problems including joint stiffness, skeletal fluorosis, tooth discoloration and more. A reverse osmosis system is one of the few filters that can eliminate fluoride from drinking water.
Reverse osmosis systems work by forcing water at a high rate through different membranes and filters to create “pure water.” The system will reject most chemicals and bacteria as well as harmful minerals like calcium, magnesium and iron. This process will leave behind the dissolved organic compounds that are considered Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). A reverse osmosis system can display the ratio of TDS to Total Inorganic Solids (TIS), which is helpful in understanding the quality of your water.
To remove fluoride, the water is forced through a semi-permeable membrane. The membrane has tiny pores that only allow water molecules through while blocking larger contaminants such as fluoride. The membrane is protected by pre-filtration stages that reduce fine particles and chlorine as these can clog the RO membrane. The filtered water is collected in a pressurized storage tank and dispensed at the faucet on demand.