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How Reverse Osmosis Water Filters Keep Your Water Clean

by: TrentBarrett
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Word Count: 538

Reverse osmosis water filters function by passing water through a membrane-type filter that leaves impurities on the other side. Clean water is deposited in a reservoir, to be pumped up to a separate drinking water faucet, and the contaminants on the other side are flushed out of the system later. This type of water filter is among the best ways to clean your water, and it will remove most contaminants: most bacteria and viruses, pesticides and other VOCs, hydrogen sulfide, nitrates, sediments, arsenic, chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals like lead and mercury, iron, and even bad tastes.

Because of its effectiveness at removing contaminants, a reverse osmosis water filter is often called a hyperfiltration system. It works by sending water from your municipal or private supply through a series of small reservoirs in the filter unit, each containing the osmotic membrane. In the reservoir, clean water moves to the clean side of the filter, leaving contaminants behind. Water passes through via osmosis, not water pressure as is more common for other filters. That means that this filtration system is painfully slow. To address this problem, osmotic water systems include a tank where your clean water is deposited, providing a reservoir of drinking water in the amount of about fifteen gallons each day. This water is of bottled water quality, and if you buy bottled water every day, you can imagine how much money this can save you.

A reverse osmosis water filter may have a thin film composite (TFC) or a cellulose triacetate (CTA) membrane, each of which has strengths and weaknesses. The TFC is best by far at contaminant removal, but it is easily damaged if you have a chlorinated water supply going directly into it. For TFC filters, it's a good idea to install an activated carbon filter upstream of the TFC filter. The CTA filter is not as good at removing contaminants, but it is also tougher and will not be so easily damaged. Because a damaged film can ruin your reverse osmosis water filter, choose carefully between these two options.

For water that is contaminated with bacteria or other biological organisms, you may also need an ultraviolet filter. While an osmotic filter works quite well on biological organisms, it does not catch all of them; while one particle of mercury in your cleansed water will not kill you, a single bacterium in your clean water reservoir can multiply and eventually contaminate your entire osmotic water filtration system. To prevent this problem, add a UV water purifier to the downstream side of your filtration system. UV light is used to kill everything living in your water, which prevents your water from further contamination. This three-filter system - activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and UV purifier - will provide you and your family with the cleanest possible water supply.

Your last concern with a reverse osmosis water filtration system: the amount of water used in producing your clean water. Each one gallon of clean water requires up to ten gallons of water, the remainder of which is flushed from the system. If this is a problem in your area, make sure that your contaminated water is redirected to your gray water reservoir, where it can be safely used to water your garden.

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About the Author

Trent Barrett is a consultant who reviews water filters at Best-Home-water-Purifiers.com. You can visit their homepage to learn more about Home water Purifiers.