Reverse Osmosis (RO) is generally regarded as an extremely effective form of filtration. RO filters are able to remove both chemical and particulate (microbe) contaminants from your household water supply. One of these filters is a semi-permeable membrane with pores that are as much as 30,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. As a result, they allow only pure water to pass through.
RO systems are even used by the military in the field to make poor quality water drinkable. However, these filters shouldn’t be used on water contaminated by wastewater. If you’re using an RO unit on rural sources such as an individual well, a good way to check for such contamination is to measure E.coli and coliform bacteria before the water is chlorinated. Chlorination may kill the coliforms, but other disease-causing microbes may not be eliminated by chlorine and such water should not be used for consumption even with a Reverse Osmosis system in place. An effective RO membrane will produce drinking water with a low pH level, commonly below a pH of 6.0. Such a level is not a health issue as, by comparison, even lemon or grapefruit juice contains much lower pH content. Because the RO process removes nearly all particles in the tap water, minerals like calcium and magnesium – which have many health benefits – may need to be reintroduced through a readily available supplement.
Water Depot Parry Sound’s team of trained experts look forward to discussing their RO units and other options available to purify your drinking water. For more information call 705-771-9582, or visit www.waterdepotparrysound.com.