| FAQs » Reverse
Osmosis
How Does a Reverse Osmosis System Work?
Do I really need to be concerned with the safety of
the water that comes from my tap?
But my water tastes O.K. and I've been drinking it
for years and haven't had any ill effects.
How is a Reverse Osmosis system different from just
a filter?
Will Reverse Osmosis water taste as good as the expensive
water I buy?
I have heard that Reverse Osmosis and water softening
systems waste a lot of water.
How expensive are the filters for my drinking water
system?
How often do I need to change the filters on my Reverse
Osmosis system?
How does a Reverse Osmosis
system work?
Let's use a simple 4 stage R/O
for example. A Reverse Osmosis system connects to the cold water
supply under your sink. First,
water passes through a micron-rated sediment filter, which removes
large particles that float in the water
like silt, sand, rust, dirt, etc. Second,
the water passes through a Bituminous granulated coal filter that
removes chlorine, some pesticides, herbicides and toxic chemicals.
Third, water passes through the R/O membrane. Water
is basically forced through the membrane. The water that makes it
through is the purified water and the water that doesn't make it
is impure water and it is dumped down the drain. Fourth,
the water slows down to a drop at a time and is accumulated in a
pressurized storage tank. The water is then pushed out of the tank
at about 40-60 psi through a 10 inch post coconut shell carbon filter
designed to pick up anything missed by the previous filters insuring
great taste on the way to the faucet.
Do I really need to be concerned
with the safety of the water that comes from my tap?
Yes! According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "The
American Public can no longer take the purity of our drinking water
for granted." Over 700 organic and inorganic chemicals have
been identified in drinking water and some of them are linked to
cancer, birth defects, neurological disorders and a host of other
afflictions.
But my water tastes O.K. and I have been
drinking it for years and haven't had any ill affects!
The average person will consume approximately 15,000 gallons of
water in a life time. In many water supplies, there are contaminates
that even in small quantities, can cause physical disorders as stated
above. Most cities have up to 72 hours before they have to notify
you that there is a problem with your water supply. Milwaukee and
other cities have recently found fecal bacteria in their water supply
resulting in some deaths and thousands of people ill. In Phoenix
alone, between 1991 and 1992, there were reported to be 17,364 violations
of E.P.A. Water Quality Standards, according to the "Natural
Resources Defense Council" in Washington. It is not an issue
of whether your water is harmful physically or not, the issue is
for such a small price, why even allow it to be a concern. Besides,
for such a small price, you can have safe water that tastes great
too!
How
is a Reverse Osmosis system different from just a filter?
The quality of the water is much better, your ice cubes will be
clear and fresh, and the water will taste great. This is accomplished
by using a combination of the three most effective water treatment
technologies known. An expert from the office of Water Research
and Technology said in the U.S. Dept.of the Interior Publication,
24-000-00855-0: "For general treatment (of water) to reduce
both organic and inorganic loading to tolerable levels at lower
energy costs, Reverse Osmosis(RO) offers significant advantages.
It can accomplish the removal of many classes of contaminates to
the desired degree of purity simultaneously. The significance of
Reverse Osmosis (RO) is that it provides an additional processing
tool with a broader capability, combined with lower energy costs,
that has been available in the past."
Will Reverse Osmosis
water taste as good as the expensive water I buy?
Yes! Sometimes better, depending how well the bottled water company
is maintaining their purification equipment. Reverse Osmosis is
the same process used by most major bottled water companies. Even
some companies that use "spring water" still use Reverse
Osmosis to insure purity.
I have heard that Reverse
Osmosis and water softening systems waste a lot of water.
Absolutely not! On the average, these systems will use less than
2% of your home's total water consumption. In addition, if your
Reverse Osmosis System is equiped with a water conservation valve
the system shuts off when the tank is full. Many of the softeners
on the market today are equiped to be very efficient in their water
usage during regeneration.
How expensive are the
filters for my drinking water system?
Depending on your system, over a year it will be approximately $4/per
month for all the great tasting and good quality
water you can drink.
How often do I need
to change the filters on my Reverse Osmosis system?
Once a year. However,
some prefilters are changed every six months. The Reverse Osmosis
membrane is changed between two to five years, depending on your
incoming water quality. Puretec Water Services will notify you when
it is time to change your filters and which ones need changing so
you don't have to worry about keeping track.
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