You have a lot of options when it comes to cleaning the water in your home. Beyond choosing between options like a whole house system or under-sink filters, you have different purification processes. A reverse osmosis (RO) system might be the best choice if you are looking for effective water purification.

What makes reverse osmosis so effective? It is a unique process that is very different from standard water filtration. Read on to learn how these systems work.

How Reverse Osmosis System Purifies Water

Filtration Stages

The first point to understand is that reverse osmosis is only one stage of the water purification process. Depending on the RO system you choose, it could have several stages. Even the most basic RO system will have three stages: pre-filtration, reverse osmosis, and post-filtration.

Beyond the reverse osmosis stage, you will also have sediment filters and carbon filters. The sediment filters are good for removing dirt and other suspended solids that might be in the water. With the carbon filters, the system removes additional contaminants that may affect the water’s taste.

Pre-Filtration

An RO system will filter the feed water before the reverse osmosis process. At the very least, the system will use a sediment filter to remove dirt or other solids that may be in the water. This not only serves the purpose of removing the unwanted solids but also protects the RO membrane from damage.

Reverse Osmosis

After pre-filtration, the water enters the reverse osmosis stage. RO excels at removing dissolved particles from water. That is why it is a critical stage in water desalination plants. Reverse osmosis achieves this by forcing the feed water through a semi-permeable membrane. The membrane has tiny holes large enough for water to move through under pressure. However, the holes are too small for the molecules of most contaminants.

Post-Filtration

Post-filtration is the final stage after the purified water reaches your tap. Most systems send the water to a storage tank after the RO process. It then sits in the tank until someone opens a faucet. However, there is a final stage to ensure a good taste and smell. This final stage is usually a carbon filter.

Wastewater

Reverse osmosis systems also produce some wastewater. As pure water passes through the membrane, there will be a concentration of water with high levels of contaminants. The system channels this water out, and it drains as wastewater. The levels of wastewater can vary depending on the RO system.

Reverse Osmosis System Installation

Contact the Red Rock Water Systems team to learn more about home water products. We are a local company with 22 years of experience with water systems. We would be happy to offer a free estimate or provide more information.

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