What Is Reverse Osmosis?

Filtered water often tastes better than anything you can get from the tap, and it ensures you don’t consume harmful chemicals, pollutants and solid particles. Reverse osmosis systems are popular ways to filter the water throughout your home. Read on to learn what reverse osmosis is and what these systems do in Pisgah Forest, NC.

What is a reverse osmosis system?

Reverse osmosis filters out particles as small as 0.01 micrometers. This will typically remove sediment, fluoride, lead particles and more. Water is forced through a pre-filter to get rid of chlorine and sediment, then a semi-permeable membrane, which filters out any other contaminants. The water that passes through is called the permeate, while the concentrated contaminated water left behind is referred to as the brine. Reverse osmosis prevents the permeate and the brine from mixing back together after the filtration process takes place.

There are three main types of filters: carbon filters, sediment filters and the semi-permeable membrane. After the water is sent through these filters, it moves to a storage tank where it will be held until needed. The storage tank is necessary because reverse osmosis tends to be a slower process—and you don’t want to wait five minutes just to get a glass of water.

The system will filter water until the storage tank is full, and then will shut off until the water level dips below the fill line. Before your water reaches the tap, it may go through another postfilter to ensure the purest possible water. In fact, the only thing reverse osmosis systems can’t filter out are bacteria and viruses.

So, what happens to the brine? Once the permeate is ready to go and is sent into the storage tank, the brine is discarded as wastewater. There are additional features (like pumps and automatic shutoff valves) that you can add to your reverse osmosis system to ensure there’s as little wastewater as possible.

Advantages of using reverse osmosis

• Removes contaminants from water: Reverse osmosis can remove up to 99 percent of contaminants in water, ensuring you have fresh, clean water for all your home needs.
• Removes bad tastes and odors from water: If you struggle to drink enough water because it tastes bad, your reverse osmosis system will make the water taste better than ever.
• Lasts 10 to 15 years: Under normal conditions, your reverse osmosis system should last up to 15 years. That makes it a great long-term investment—and it’ll save you a lot of money on bottled water.
• Low maintenance: Reverse osmosis systems don’t require a lot of maintenance and repair; all you have to do is replace the membrane every two to three years.
• Energy efficient: Finally, these water filtration systems are energy efficient—unless you have an electric pump, they consume no energy at all.

Now that you know what reverse osmosis is in Pisgah Forest, NC, get in touch with Royal Water Works, Inc. today. We can help you find the right filtration system for your home or business.

Categorised in: Reverse Osmosis