Reverse osmosis, often referred to as RO, is an advanced water purification method that was initially developed by the U.S. Navy to produce drinking water from sea water for submarine crews. It is a membrane filtration technology that works by forcing water under pressure through the very tiny pores of a semi-permeable membrane. Modern reverse osmosis units for the home combine membrane technology with carbon and mechanical filtration to produce highly purified water.
The Process
In modern residential units, water driven by normal water pressure flows first through a sediment pre-filter which removes any dirt, silts, sands, and particles that are in the water. Then a carbon pre-filter removes all organic contaminants including chlorine and it’s by-products, followed by a second sediment filter which removes all remaining small particles (Change first 3 filters every 6 months). It then enters the reverse osmosis membrane, a very tight sheet like filter which allows water to pass but rejects dissolved solids like sodium and impurities like lead and arsenic. The purified water is stored in a small storage tank until it is needed. When the faucet mounted on the sink is opened, the purified water is forced by air pressure through another carbon filter, which gives it a final polish before you fill your cup. Enjoy!
Did You Know?
Water (H2O) in it’s purest state is a tasteless, odorless substance. Any taste or smell in your water is directly from the chemical and mineral content therein. RO units remove up to 95% of the mineral and chemical content in your water, leaving behind only the purest water possible.
Aren’t the minerals in water essential to our health? Well, unlike the organic minerals in our food, the minerals in water are inorganic. In simpler terms, our bodies can easily process the organic minerals found in food, however, elemental (inorganic) materials like iron, calcium carbonate, manganese, magnesium, etc. are not processed at all by the body and are rejected as waste. Long term consumption of inorganic minerals is harmful to your health, as your body is a filter; these minerals will wear on your body, causing build-up and blockages, resulting in other health concerns.