As the name suggests, reverse osmosis drinking system (RO) is a physical filtration process that uses pressure to force water through a semi-permeable membrane to remove large contaminants and minerals down to a molecular level. This type of filtration is able to remove a wider range of contaminants than most other types of filters, and the result is extremely clean, healthy water that can be used straight from the faucet.
Most RO systems feature a prefilter and carbon filter to remove sediment and chlorine from water that might clog or damage the RO membrane. Once the prefilters have done their job, a high-pressure pump is used to force water through a reverse osmosis membrane, resulting in a more dilute stream of water on one side and a concentrated waste stream on the other. The dilute stream is then collected in a storage tank and the concentrate stream is sent to the drain.
How Reverse Osmosis Filtration Works: Everything You Need to Know
This process is very energy-efficient, and the fact that the resulting water has very low levels of dissolved solids means it can be stored in tanks for a long time without requiring additional storage or pumping. However, a significant amount of water is lost in the process, which can make this type of system uneconomical for homes that use lots of hot water, like showers and dishwashers.
A permeate pump can reduce the amount of water that is sent to the drain by 75 to 80%, which may make this type of system more cost-effective in some cases. If you are considering installing a reverse osmosis drinking system, we recommend talking to your local plumbing professionals about adding a permeate pump to your system.