The Environmental Protection Agency has identified 70,000 bodies of water in the United States that do not meet water quality standards. Contaminated water can cause diarrhea, typhoid, and dysentery, among other diseases.
There is a way to protect yourself and your family, by using a reverse osmosis system
But what is reverse osmosis and how does it help guard against water contaminants? Read on to learn everything you need to know to decide if reverse osmosis is right for your family.
What Is Reverse Osmosis?
Simply put, reverse osmosis removes contaminants from unfiltered water, making it safe to drink. Water is forced through a semipermeable membrane, which separates the contaminants from the permeate, or clean water, leaving behind a brine and providing clean, clear drinking water.
What Is a Semipermeable Membrane?
Reverse osmosis systems will have a semipermeable membrane as their focal point. This means that it will allow certain particles or substances to run through it, typically dissolved solids, while it blocks others.
What Is an RO System’s Purification Process?
A reverse osmosis system doesn’t only contain a membrane. It can have a sediment filter and a carbon filter, in addition to the semipermeable membrane.
The sediment filter would remove particles such as dirt, dust, and rust. A carbon filter would reduce volatile organic compounds and chlorine. These are prefilters, removing the contaminants before the water arrives at the membrane.
Once the water has gone through the membrane, removing 98% of total dissolved solids, it flows to a storage tank, where it stays until it’s needed. The reverse osmosis system continues to filter water until the tank is full, then it turns off.
When you turn on your faucet, the water flows through a final postfilter, which gives the water a final polish before you drink it.
Like any type of filter, a reverse osmosis system’s filters become less effective over time, but you can find replacement filters online at sites like supremewatersales.com.
What Are the Benefits and Disadvantages of RO?
Reverse osmosis systems remove a variety of contaminants, such as fluoride, sediment, arsenic, and pesticides, giving you clean, wholesome drinking water.
One thing you should note is that they DO NOT remove bacteria and viruses. To remove those, you’ll need a UV water purification method.
A reverse osmosis system sends about 4 gallons of brine down the drain for every one gallon of purified water it provides. Most bottled water is made using reverse osmosis, but the amount of wastewater the bottled variety produces six or seven times what ends up in the supermarket. This gives installing a system in your home the edge over purchasing bottles.
There are ways to lower this number, too. Adding a permeate pump will reduce the amount of wastewater a reverse osmosis system creates and installing a system that uses an automatic shutoff valve will help, too. Plus, the wastewater is safe to use on your lawn or in your garden.
Stay Hydrated and Healthy
Reducing contaminants in your water makes it smell and taste better and reduces the risk of serious illness. A reverse osmosis system is a great way to purify your drinking water.
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