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Is RO Water Good for You?

Reverse osmosis systems (RO) have become commonplace for home and business water filtration solutions, and for a good reason—RO systems are affordable, reliable, and low-maintenance. They may also remove a variety of common chemical contaminants, as well as the beneficial compounds, in drinking water supplies.

RO water is an effective, widely-accepted method for filtering out contaminants and toxins from drinking water and may reduce the risk of acquiring certain viruses and bacteria.1 In this article, we’ll explore the mechanics of reverse osmosis and the potential benefits and downfalls of drinking RO water to help you decide if an RO system is an ideal solution for your home or business. 

Reverse Osmosis, Explained

So, is RO water good for you? Let’s break down reverse osmosis or RO and the way it removes contaminants from your home or business water supply.

In order to determine whether an RO water filtration system is good for you, it helps to understand how the reverse osmosis process works. In reverse osmosis water filtration, water is pushed through a semipermeable membrane that catches dissolved solids of a certain size, eliminating potential hazards from the water supply.2 As water moves through the membrane, dissolved solids are left behind in the filter media.

A reverse osmosis water system can remove a number of water-borne impurities, like:

  • Lead
  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
  • Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
  • Arsenic
  • Bacteria
  • Viruses
  • Hard water minerals (e.g., calcium and magnesium)

Home and business owners can employ one of two RO technologies to meet their water purification needs:

  • A point-of-use system – A point-of-use RO system is installed in one location to filter the water flowing through one specific plumbing fixture like a kitchen sink.
  • A whole-home or whole-business system – Instead of only filtering water at one point in the plumbing system, a whole-home or whole-business RO system filters water before it enters your internal plumbing system, providing purified water to the entire plumbing map.

Reverse Osmosis Systems starting at only $25/mo. Try before you buy!

The Debate

While RO water is free from a number of impurities, this filtration system also removes essential minerals found in drinking water, such as salts, calcium, and magnesium. RO water filtration systems may lead to reduced levels of essential nutrients within your body. It is important to make note that because RO water filtration systems do remove such essential nutrients during the process, it’s important to look for nutritious foods that meet your daily intake of these minerals and vitamins not compensated for with a well-rounded and nutritious diet.3 

Nevertheless, RO water filtration systems are extremely effective when cleaning drinking water that’s contaminated with harmful toxins, bacteria, and viruses.

Benefits of Drinking RO Water

Now that you know how the reverse osmosis process works, let’s look at the benefits of an RO water purifier. An RO water filter may improve the quality of your drinking water. Let’s explore three potential benefits of RO water systems and how this system may improve your supply of drinking water. 

#1 You Drink Softer Water

Along with a variety of other contaminant chemicals, reverse osmosis filters can capture calcium and magnesium, hard water minerals that may wreak havoc on your health, cleaning regimen, and plumbing system.4

While the US Food and Drug Administration recommends daily intake values for both calcium and magnesium—essential nutrients that your body needs to survive—excess intake of either mineral may cause health problems.

Excess magnesium is typically filtered through the kidneys, and overdose typically produces mild symptoms like nausea and abdominal pain. However, excess calcium ingestion may cause wellness issues.5 Additionally, RO water is low-sodium, which may help to keep your cardiovascular system functioning properly.

When you implement an RO system for your home or business, you can soften your water supply, potentially helping to decrease the risk of health impacts. Filtering hard water also eliminates issues like plumbing damage, hard water stains, and reduced cleaning efficacy caused by it.

#2 May Decrease Your Exposure to Water-Borne Illnesses

Reverse osmosis systems may filter out bacteria, parasites, and virus particles that could potentially contaminate municipal or well water supplies, which may impact your health.4

Since RO water systems capture particles of a certain size, they may effectively reduce your exposure to these potential contaminants. While contaminants in municipal water systems are relatively unlikely, an RO system is particularly useful for well applications, where water quality isn’t monitored or controlled by an independent regulatory agency. 

In addition, filtration of common viral and bacterial contaminants may improve the color, odor, and taste of your drinking water. 

#3 May Reduce the Likelihood of Drinking Contaminated Water

RO systems aren’t just useful for potentially mitigating viruses, bacteria, and hard water. They may also filter out other components that could reduce your overall water quality. 

Since RO water potentially contains fewer contaminants and pollutants, reverse osmosis systems are known to filter out the following additional contaminants:6

  • Algae and organic compounds
  • Barium
  • Cadmium
  • Chromium
  • Sodium
  • Sulfate
  • Nitrate

While some municipal water authorities add antibacterial chemicals to the water supply, the other chemicals on this list can appear in your household or business water supply via infrastructure vulnerabilities, groundwater saturation, or pollution. 

All water filtration solutions provide some protection against contaminant chemicals, and RO systems are no exception. With the help of a reverse osmosis system, you can remain confident that you, your family, or your employees are consuming the safest possible water with the lowest number of total dissolved solids.

You can also learn how to test water quality at home to eliminate harmful contaminants and implement a water filtration system if needed. 

Water Filtration Systems for Wellness from Rayne Water 

Is reverse osmosis water safe? Reverse osmosis systems produce filtered, tasty water that’s potentially free from more than 99% of dissolved compounds, rendering RO a safe and effective water treatment method.

RO systems aren’t your only choice for home or business water filtration. If you’re looking for professional advice on the best solution for you, look no further than Rayne Water. Since 1928, our all-star team has been providing ideal solutions to residential and commercial water purity issues, prioritizing your qualitative and quantitative goals to help you meet your water purity goals. 

If you’re ready to transform your home water supply for the better, contact us for a free consultation. 

Find a location near you!

Sources: 

  1. US Environmental Protection Agency. Water Health Series: Filtration Facts. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-11/documents/2005_11_17_faq_fs_healthseries_filtration.pdf 
  2. US Environmental Protection Agency. Point-of-Use Reverse Osmosis Systems. https://www.epa.gov/watersense/point-use-reverse-osmosis-systems 
  3. Med J Armed Forces India. Demineralization of drinking water: Is it prudent? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4223198/ 
  4. US Environmental Protection Agency. Overview of Drinking Water Treatment Technologies. https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/overview-drinking-water-treatment-technologies#RO 
  5. National Institutes of Health. Calcium. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/ 
  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment Technologies for Household Use. https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/home-water-treatment/household_water_treatment.html