Do you know? Water purification is the one and only way to ensure that people have access to safe and clean water. This is crucial for overall health and well-being.
There are a number of purification methods used for the treatment of regular water by both individuals and authorities. However, the widely known and used method is Reverse osmosis.
It removes 99% of contaminants and impurities from the tap water, making it completely pure and refreshing. In this blog, we are going to discuss everything you need to know about RO filtration.
Also, read our blog post Learn About Different Water Purification Techniques
What is Reverse Osmosis (RO) & How Does it Work?
As we already mentioned, Reverse Osmosis (RO) is a water purification that uses a special semi-permeable membrane to eliminate large contaminants like ions, chemicals, molecules, etc. from the water. This then results in a purified water.
There is a huge variety of RO systems operating on this technology available. However, the price and effectiveness may vary depending on the brand.
When it comes to the working mechanism, it usually works in four stages, which we have mentioned below.
1. Pre-filtration:
This is the first stage in which normal water passes through pre-filters to eliminate any sort of large contaminants including molecules and sediment.
2. Pressurization:
Now, a special pump applies pressure to the water and forces it to pass through the semi-permeable membrane for further filtration and cleanliness.
3. Separation:
The name is already providing a clear idea. As the water passes, the toxic impurities are left on one side of the membrane, and the purified water flows to the other side.
4. Post-filtration:
This is optional, the purified water may also undergo a final filtration before being stored or dispensed for additional satisfaction.
What Does Reverse Osmosis Remove?
Reverse osmosis filtration removes a bunch of impurities with maximum accuracy.
Contaminants & Impurities That RO Filtration Remove:
1. Dissolved Salts:
· Sodium & Chloride: Both these salts are commonly found in regular tap water worldwide and can damage both the taste and overall health.
· Calcium & Magnesium: Exposure to calcium and magnesium for a prolonged period of time can also be hazardous to human well-being.
2. Toxic Heavy Metals:
· Lead: It is a really dangerous heavy metal found in groundwater and can lead to severe health problems.
· Mercury: More dangerous than lead, even if consumed in small amounts, it can cause major health troubles. It usually originates through industrial waste.
3. Microorganisms:
· Bacteria: Numerous bacteria such as E-coli commonly pollute the regular water, making it unsafe and unhealthy to consume.
· Viruses: Similarly, viruses such as Hepatitis A or Hepatitis C can also be present in normal water.
4. Chemical & Pesticides:
· Chlorine & Chloramine: These are usually used to treat water, but their overdose can prove dangerous to human health.
· Pesticides & Herbicides: Agriculture runoff contributes to producing these sorts of chemicals, but fortunately, RO filtration also eliminates them.
· Fluoride: While is also essential for dental health, its overdose can also cause health issues.
Health Benefits of Removing These From Water
Removing the aforementioned contaminants and impurities from the drinking water through RO filtration can provide a number of health benefits.
1. Improved Safety:
Eliminating bacteria, viruses, and chemicals in the water through reverse osmosis will greatly reduce the overall risk of waterborne diseases and protect individuals, especially infants and the elderly.
2. Reduced Toxicity:
When hazardous heavy metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic, etc. are removed through RO filtration. It will greatly minimize the risk of harmful health issues such as neurological damage, cancer, and many more. These sorts of diseases can lead to death if not dealt with properly at the right time.
3. Good for Dental Health:
With the help of reverse osmosis filtration, it has become a lot easier to control excessive fluoride levels in normal water, leading to improved dental health.
Practical Benefits of Reverse Osmosis Filtration
Apart from the health benefits, there are multiple practical benefits of RO filtration, some of which are discussed as follows:
1. Cost-effectiveness:
Although, purchasing an RO filter will cost you a decent money, but after the purchase, it will be worth it in the long run, let us explain how. The RO water will completely eliminate the need for you to purchase costly bottled filtered water from the market.
2. Versatility:
Reverse osmosis water is highly versatile, as it can be freely used for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and even bathing purposes. This is because it does not have any sort of downsides from a scientific perspective.
Comparing Common RO Systems
There are several types of RO systems that you can find online and in the marketers as well. Below, we have explained and compared the common ones.
1. Undersink Filters:
These are small and compact filtration systems that quickly filter your kitchen water on demand.
Features: Undersink filters are the most affordable, and compact size systems that don’t require any professional installation. Just place them under the kitchen sink and connect to the kitchen faucet to get purified water.
Benefits: They are highly space efficient, and remove a wide range of contaminants and impurities for maximum quality.
Use-cases: Ideal for apartments and low-size kitchens.
2. Countertop Filters:
These are also designed to provide a filtered water supply when needed.
Features: Countertop systems are highly portable systems that perfectly sit on the countertop and then are connected to the faucet.
Benefits: Extremely simple to use and no permanent installation is required. Can be taken anywhere like trips, etc.
Use-cases: Highly suitable for houses with low usage requirements.
3. Whole House Water Filters:
The name says everything; these RO systems work to provide the highest quality filtered water to the entire home.
Features: These are highly durable, and are capable of providing the supply of purified water through every tap.
Benefits: Perfectly ensures a comprehensive supply of quality water for drinking, bathing, cooking, and cleaning.
Use cases: Best for large houses and offices with huge consumption of water on a daily basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most effective purification method/technique?
Reverse osmosis is one of the most effective purification techniques that eliminates a bunch of contaminants with 100% accuracy.
Is it totally safe to drink RO water?
Yes, it is completely safe to consume reverse osmosis water on a regular basis.
Are RO systems usually expensive?
Yes, these systems are slightly more expensive as compared to other filtration types.
Final Words
Reverse osmosis has gained a lot of popularity worldwide. All because of its ability to effectively eliminate a bunch of contaminants and impurities. In this blog, we have discussed every bit of detail that you may need to about RO filtration.