COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEMS - Dangerous bacteria can enter the water supply through flooding and other natural disasters as well as through industrial accidents. Harmful substances, like pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals, can find their way into our municipal drinking water without being easily detected. New technology is available that can remove harmful matter from our drinking water. A useful piece of water purification technology is the reverse osmosis system, sometimes referred to as RO. Reverse osmosis systems work by forcing water through a series of membranes to remove various substances. The result is safe, fresh-tasting drinking water. Many popular brands of bottled water use this type of purification system. In-home reverse osmosis systems are also available to provide purified water right to your kitchen tap, eliminating the need for plastic bottles. Some of the substances removed by the reverse osmosis systems include lead, copper, sodium, cryptosporidium, calcium, magnesium and fluoride. Each of these elements may adversely affect your health if ingested frequently through your drinking water.

................................................................................................................................................................

6 Common Questions About Reverse Osmosis Systems

Erin Doman 

Access to clean drinking water is a fundamental human need and one which goes unfulfilled for many people around the world.

However, illness from unsanitary water is not limited to developing countries.

In the United States, dangerous bacteria can enter the water supply through flooding and other natural disasters as well as through industrial accidents.

Harmful substances, like pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals, can find their way into our municipal drinking water without being easily detected.

Fortunately, new technology is available that can remove harmful matter from our drinking water.

A useful piece of water purification technology is the reverse osmosis system, sometimes referred to as RO.

Reverse osmosis systems work by forcing water through a series of membranes to remove various substances.

The result is safe, fresh-tasting drinking water.

Many popular brands of bottled water use this type of purification system.

Some bottled water manufacturers use reverse osmosis followed by remineralization while others simply purify the water and bottle it without remineralizing.

In-home reverse osmosis systems are also available to provide purified water right to your kitchen tap, eliminating the need for plastic bottles.

1. What Substances Do Reverse Osmosis Systems Remove?

Some of the substances removed by the reverse osmosis systems include lead, copper, sodium, cryptosporidium, calcium, magnesium and fluoride. Each of these elements may adversely affect your health if ingested frequently through your drinking water.

The adverse effects of lead ingestion are well known.

Lead, like other heavy metals, builds up in the human body and may result in neurological damage, developmental delays and even death.

Sodium, while essential for health, might lead to problems in people with certain medical conditions.

Cryptosporidium is a disease-causing water-borne parasite which is resistant to chlorine.

A reverse osmosis system can protect you from ingesting these harmful substances.

2. What Are the Health Benefits?

Removing heavy metals and other toxins from your drinking water may protect you and your family from a number of illnesses. If you or someone in your household is sensitive to sodium or other naturally-occurring substances in your municipal water or is immunologically compromised in some way, purified water can be a powerful protectant against dangerous elements.

People with weakened immune systems, such as those undergoing chemotherapy, may be susceptible to illness from pathogens that would not adversely affect a relatively healthy person.

In this type of situation, the benefits of in-home water purification systems are clear.

At any rate, the fact that purified water often tastes better than municipal water often means that people drink more of it when it is available, and drinking an abundance of water every day has well-known health benefits.

3. Are There Any Health Risks Associated With Reverse Osmosis?

Reverse osmosis systems produce clean water.

However, because they also strip away essential minerals, there is some debate about whether or not water purified in this way is the best choice as a source of everyday drinking water.

Calcium and magnesium, for example, are crucial for bone health.

Although these minerals are easy to come by in vitamin and mineral supplements or as part of a very healthy diet, many Americans do not get adequate amounts of these minerals.

Fluoride is another hotly-debated element, with some people advocating for its removal from municipal drinking water.

However, children who drink fluoride-enhanced water on a regular basis are thought to have 60 percent fewer cavities than children who drink untreated water.

Therefore, some people choose to not use a reverse osmosis system due to a lack of sufficient mineral intake.

4. What is the Possible Environmental Impact?

Although industrial-level reverse osmosis systems may be more efficient than in-home versions, a certain amount of otherwise clean water is sent straight down the drain during the process.

According to the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, in-home reverse osmosis units may waste between two and five gallons of municipal water for each gallon of purified water produced.

This extra water flowing back into the waste water system means a higher household water bill and taxes the waste water treatment system.

On the other hand, having a water purification system installed at home may significantly reduce the amount of bottled water purchased by a household, reducing the environmental harm done by the manufacture and disposal of plastic water bottles.

5. What Can Be Done to Ensure the Healthiest Drinking Water Possible?

Filtering water is a good idea, especially if you or someone in your household is at high risk for waterborne illness, or if you know that you would otherwise buy bottled water.

A reduction in the amount of lead, pesticides and so on entering your body is always a positive thing, and reverse osmosis is excellent for carrying out this task.

One way you can improve the mineral content of your drinking water is by simply remineralizing the water after it has gone through the purification system.

Check with your system’s manufacturer to see if a remineralization filter can be easily added to your reverse osmosis system.

6. Is Reverse Osmosis Worth It?

If you want purified water without using an abundance of plastic water bottles, installing a reverse-osmosis system in your home may be a good idea, especially if you add a remineralization filter as the final step in the purification process.

As always, if you have specific questions about what you need or don’t need in your drinking water, consult your healthcare professional.

If you are concerned about not getting enough fluoride in your treated water, talk to your dentist or your child’s dentist and ask for his or her recommendations.

When looking for the best reverse osmosis system for your home, check the unit’s energy efficiency rating and try to find out what percentage of the water makes its way out as purified water, and what percentage is wasted in the process.

You can maximize the benefits you receive from reverse osmosis-treated water by eliminating as much waste as possible, remineralizing the water before ingesting it and making sure that you are not wasting precious resources by demineralizing non-drinking water.

You can do this by installing your purifier to bypass lawn sprinkler pipes, bathroom water sources and so on.

You will experience longer filter life and less wasted water by treating only your source of drinking and cooking water.

Erin Doman

Erin is a native Austinite that loves writing, wikipedia, online window-shopping for home goods, and riding on airplanes. When not writing articles at work, you can probably find her winding down with a glass of wine, a book, and her two favorite neurotic cats.

https://learn.allergyandair.com/reverse-osmosis-system-questions/

You might also like:

NSF Standards
Why They Matter For Drinking Water Filters

CLICK HERE . . . to view . . . 

https://puricare.blogspot.com/2020/07/nsf-standards-why-they-matter-for.html

BACTERIA & VIRUS ISSUES - Common Contaminants - Microbial and organic contaminants can't always be detected through sight, smell or taste. Although some waterborne microbes can cause illness, many microbes are harmless or even beneficial. Very small levels of microbes are naturally present in many water supplies, but some are more dangerous than others. Some of the more dangerous microbial contaminants, such as E. coli, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium, can cause gastrointestinal problems and flu-like symptoms commonly attributed to undercooked or improperly stored food. They include: Bacteria: Single-celled organisms lacking well-defined nuclear membranes and other specialized functional cell parts which reproduce by cell division or spores. Viruses: Parasitic infectious microbes, composed almost entirely of protein and nucleic acids, which can cause disease(s) in humans. Viruses can reproduce only within living cells. They are 0.004 to 0.1 microns in size, which is about 100 times smaller than bacteria. Cysts: Capsules or protective sacs produced by many protozoans (as well as some bacteria and algae) as preparation for entering a resting or a specialized reproductive stage. Similar to spores, cysts tend to be more resistant to destruction by disinfection.

.................................................................................................................................................................

Bacteria & Virus Issues

Common Contaminants

The Water Quality Association (WQA)

Microbial and organic contaminants can't always be detected through sight, smell or taste. You might go years before realizing a problem exists. 

Although some waterborne microbes can cause illness, many microbes are harmless or even beneficial.

Very small levels of microbes are naturally present in many water supplies, but some are more dangerous than others.

Some of the more dangerous microbial contaminants, such as E. coli, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium, can cause gastrointestinal problems and flu-like symptoms commonly attributed to undercooked or improperly stored food. They include:

Bacteria: Single-celled organisms lacking well-defined nuclear membranes and other specialized functional cell parts which reproduce by cell division or spores.

Bacteria may be free-living organisms or parasites.

Bacteria (along with fungi) are decomposers that break down the wastes and bodies of dead organisms, making their components available for reuse.

Bacterial cells range from about 1 to 10 microns in length and from 0.2 to 1 micron in width. They exist almost everywhere on earth.

Some bacteria are helpful to humans, while others are harmful.

 Viruses:  Parasitic infectious microbes, composed almost entirely of protein and nucleic acids, which can cause disease(s) in humans.

Viruses can reproduce only within living cells. They are 0.004 to 0.1 microns in size, which is about 100 times smaller than bacteria.

Cysts: Capsules or protective sacs produced by many protozoans (as well as some bacteria and algae) as preparation for entering a resting or a specialized reproductive stage.

Similar to spores, cysts tend to be more resistant to destruction by disinfection.

Fortunately, protozoan cysts are typically 2 to 50 microns in diameter and can be removed from water by fine filtration.

There are both chemical and physical ways to disinfect water.

Chemical disinfection often uses halogens such as chlorine, iodine, bromine, or ozone, while common physical choices are ultraviolet (UV) light, ultrafiltration, and distillation.

These processes can eliminate 99.9 - 99.9999% of harmful microorganisms.

Water treatment can address pathogenic microbiologicals through the following techniques:

Chlorination

The treatment process in which chlorine gas or a chlorine solution is added to water for disinfection and control of microorganisms.

Chlorination is also used in the oxidation of dissolved iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide impurities. 

This method of disinfection involves adding chlorine to water to make it safer to drink.

It’s common, cost-effective, and quick, killing many pathogenic microorganisms.

It can even oxidize or break down iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide, which can result in water that is clearer and tastes better. 

Some people find that chlorine gives water its own objectionable chemical taste and odor.

It also can produce disinfection byproducts (which may cause health issues) by reacting with other substances in water when stored.

These byproducts can often be filtered out with activated carbon.

Ultraviolet (UV) Light

The UV disinfection method, which does not involve chemicals, has long been popular for commercial use, but is becoming more common in homes.

UV systems expose water to light at just the right wavelength for killing microbes. It’s a way to kill bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoans, and cysts that may be present in the water. 
.
The effectiveness of UV treatment depends on the strength and intensity of the light, the amount of time the light shines through the water, and the quantity of particles present in the water.

The light source must be kept clean and the UV lamp replaced periodically. 

UV light treatment can’t remove gases, heavy metals, and particulates; for that reason, higher-end systems may include additional filtration such as activated carbon.

Ozone

Ozone is produced when oxygen is exposed to high-voltage current.

The use of ozone in water treatment can destroy viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms, while also removing iron, sulfur and manganese.

Ozone does its job quickly and then rapidly decomposes, cutting down on the introduction of harmful disinfection byproducts and foul tastes or odors associated with chlorination.

This process tends to be more costly and energy-consuming and is typically used commercially or by large municipalities.

The Water Quality Association (WQA) is a not-for-profit association for the residential commercial, and industrial water treatment industry. WQA represents more than 2,500 member companies around the globe. Our membership is comprised of equipment manufacturers, suppliers, dealers and distributors of water quality improvement products and services. 

WQA proudly serves as an educator of water treatment professionals, certifier of water treatment products, public information resource and voice of the water quality improvement industry.

https://www.wqa.org/learn-about-water/common-contaminants/bacteria-viruses