Reverse Osmosis FAQWhat is Reverse Osmosis? What is Reverse Osmosis?Osmosis is a basic biological process which allows fluids to pass through a semi-permeable membrane. When fluids of different concentrations or pressures are separated by a semi-permeable membrane, they have the tendency to flow through the membrane until the concentrations or pressures are equalized. The Thin Film Composite (TFC) membrane is so fine, even the pollutants in what would be considered "good" well or municipal water systems, will begin to clog the membrane after filtering only a small amount of water. Thus the need for reverse osmosis (R.O.), wherein supply water is passed backwards through this filter, cleansing it and flushing the impurities down the waste water line. The R.O. filter however, is only one part of a good reverse osmosis system. A sediment filter removes particles such as dirt, rust and other debris. A carbon filter removes chemical impurities. These filters are a crucial part to a properly designed R.O. system, as each filter is designed to prolong the life of the next. What does TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) mean?Water which begins its natural cycle as rain, comes into contact with many sources of contamination before eventually finding its way to your tap. The various minerals and salts that have been dissolved by the water during this cycle are called Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). Which is better, a Reverse Osmosis system or a distiller?Both systems when working properly will produce virtually the same quality of water. The key is proper maintenance. When a distiller is not cleaned after every use, bacteria often begins to grow in areas such as the condensing coil. Most residential distillers do a great job of removing minerals which do not evaporate, however there are many contaminants which boil around or below the boiling point of water (such as solvents) and they are often transferred with the water into the "pure" reservoir. The biggest difference in a distiller and an R.O. system is that with a distiller you have to "make" water every day, whereas a reverse osmosis system senses when pure water from the reservoir is used and automatically begins purifying more to replenish the supply. It is just that easy! Don't people need minerals in their water?Most of the minerals that we receive should come from the foods we eat. Minerals carried by water from wells and municipal water supplies are usually in a form which is not beneficial to the body. The body has its own fine filtering system which removes these minerals and deposits them in various areas of the body including the kidneys and joints. These accumulated mineral deposits often manifest themself as kidney stones, arthritic symptoms and other calcifications to name a few. What are cryptosporidium and giardia?Cryptosporidium is a water-borne parasite that lives in hoofed animals such as cows and pigs. The parasite is passed to humans through a surface water supply that has been contaminated by their waste. Cryptosporidium has been found in rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, and most other forms of surface water. Cryptosporidium attacks the digestive system. The infection may be brief with minimal symptoms or it may last several months and, under certain circumstances, be fatal. Giardia is a water-borne parasite like cryptosporidium, but it is found primarily in animals like dogs and beaver. It is also transmitted to humans through the surface water supply. In contrast to most bacterial infections that require ingestion of thousands of organisms, giardia requires very few organisms to start the process. While it is easier to be infected by giardia, the symptoms may be confined to acute diarrhea lasting 1-2 weeks. However, extreme infections have been known to last several months even years. Parasitic infections can become serious, very quickly. Anyone exposed to possibly contaminated water should seek immediate attention. I have a water softener, doesn't that purify my water?No. A water softener is an excellent tool to remove calcium and magnesium from the water. A water softener is great for the home’s plumbing and water related appliances, but does very little toward providing pure water for consumption. Will a water softener harm a Reverse Osmosis system?No. In fact, a water softener should help extend the life of your system as it acts as a pre-filter to the R.O. system. Should I use copper tubing for the line to the icemaker?No. Water is a very powerful, natural solvent. After passing through an R.O. system, it is void of almost all minerals and thus is "hungry" water. It is constantly looking for minerals, or anything else to dissolve. Care should be taken to avoid contact with common metals such as copper and aluminum. Will Reverse Osmosis remove sodium from water?Yes. The initial application of the reverse osmosis process was removal of salt (desalinization) from sea water for use as drinking water aboard naval vessels. This application has been expanded to include large, land-based facilities supporting entire communities. This may prove to be very beneficial to someone on a low sodium diet. How did Reverse Osmosis get its start?The concept of reversing the osmosis process to treat water has been around for decades. However, system development for practical applications is a more recent development. In 1962 the U.S Government funded the first R.O. plant which processed 1000 gallons clean water per day. In 1991, the U.S. Army bought 8,000 large membranes for their mobile water purification units for troops in Desert Storm. In 1993, The U.S.Government used 6,300 large membranes to treat flood water in the Midwest. Today, there are more than 3000 large R.O. treatment plants, each producing more than a million gallons of drinking water each day. The most recent development has been to provide smaller systems for commercial and residential applications. |
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