If you are considering buying a reverse osmosis system for your home READ THIS. Home reverse osmosis systems may not be the best choice for your home. I'll tell what I found to be a better choice. But it is your decision to make.
The reason is reverse osmosis(RO) systems do not completely filter tap water. RO as a rule do not filter out chemicals like chlorine, unless it has a carbon filter attachment. It is also questionable if other contaminants may slip past a reverse osmosis unit.
In fairness, reverse osmosis systems do have their place but probably not for the home. You decide.
Reverse Osmosis?
Home reverse osmosis systems only block things that are "heavier" than water or things that have a molecular structure larger than water. We have seen individual bloggers and company websites making claims of better health using method. But, the truth is that the only health benefit lies in the area of kidney dialysis.
Do You Live on a River?
This type of system is only needed if your water comes straight from a stream or river and then you will still need to use additional steps to make the water safe to drink. Some sort of disinfection method, usually chlorine, needs to be used or bacteria that cause gastrointestinal illnesses will still be present.
We have seen people suggest home reverse osmosis systems to pregnant women. That's scary. Pregnant women need to avoid anything that could be contaminated with bacteria. Water should be disinfected before consumption. Even distillation would be better. The suggestion that you can protect your health through reverse osmosis filtration is just not the whole story, because it alone does not make drinking water safe.
Reverse Osmosis Systems - Public Water
To repeat, home reverse osmosis systems are not the end all be all. They are simply one step in the water purification process. If your drinking water comes from a treatment facility, it has likely already undergone a similar process.
Home reverse osmosis systems are expensive and wasteful. The best units waste 5 gallons of water for every one gallon that is filtered. This is usually for industrial use but it shows how RO is not the best choice.
The water that comes out of home reverse osmosis systems is unnatural, so when it goes back into the environment, it changes the content and composition of the ground water.
RO Good for Industrial Use
There are many industrial applications for the system. Since they de-mineralize water, it can be used for film processing and printing. When treatment facilities need to desalinize or remove salt from ocean or brackish water, it is the system of choice.
Minerals in Water are Important
We need those trace minerals that the system filters out. The things that we do not need in our water are chemicals and chlorine.
Hopefully, you see that home reverse osmosis systems are not the right choice for most people. You can have better health by installing a good water filtration system. But you must choose the right filter from the right company. Most companies claim to have the best, but performance data by an independent testing facility tells who really does.
Reverse Osmosis does have its place. If you have the need for one than by all means get one. But for the average in home use it probably is not the best selection. For more information for the water filter type that is best for in home use see my website. -Larry L. Taylor
