Water Matters: Steps To Treat Water Through Reverse Osmosis

There are numerous known ways to treat contaminated water and make it potable. Chlorination, distillation, UV treatment, and Reverse Osmosis are all effective ways to purify water.

Reverse osmosis is one of the most widely used processes to remove pollutants, contaminants, and microbes from water.

A reverse osmosis water filter works by feeding the untreated water into a semipermeable membrane under high-pressure.

The RO process succeeds in separating the contaminated and non-contaminated water to the two different sides of the membrane. The resulting freshwater is called permeate, and the concentrated leftover water is the waste or brine.

The Process

The semipermeable membrane has small pores that allow water molecules to pass through it but simultaneously block all contaminants.

For example, while separating salt from seawater, the pressure applied to the seawater against the membrane results in salt-depleted water passing through the membrane. The low-pressure side contains clean water.

How the System Works

A RO system removes sediments and chlorine from water using a pre-filter before forcing it through the semipermeable membrane to remove dissolved solids.

After it passes through the membrane, it again passes through a post-filter to furnish the final drinking water before reaching your water bottles. RO systems have numerous stages, depending on the number of pre and post-filters.

Components:

If you’re interested in treating water at your house you might also like to read about the and the.

1
The RO membrane is the crux of a reverse osmosis system. It may have up to 5 stages of filtration.
2
Every system contains a sediment filter and a carbon filter.
3
The filters are termed pre-filters or post-filters, depending on how the water passes through it.

The Function of the Filters is as Follows:

1
Sediment filter: Removes particulates. It includes dirt, rust, etc.
2
Carbon filter: Reduces the presence of volatile organic compounds or VOCs, Chlorine, and other contaminants. These substances often impart an unpleasant flavour to the water. So, by removing them, you will have access to tasteless and odourless water as it is supposed to be.
3
Semipermeable membrane: Successfully removes up to 98% of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).

Step by Step Process

1
The water that enters a reverse osmosis water filter first goes through a pre-filtration process. This step includes the carbon and sediment filter mentioned earlier to remove sediments, as they could clog or damage the membrane.
2
Secondly, it goes through the membrane where it removes even the smallest dissolved impurities.
3
After filtrations, the water goes to the storage tank, where it is stored until needed. An RO system purifies water till the tank is filled and then stops.
4
When you turn on your faucet, the water goes through another postfilter, which finally polishes the drinking water before it reaches you fully germ-free.

Benefits of Reverse osmosis purifiers:

It is equipped to filter toxins like lead, arsenic, mercury, chlorine, and fluoride. These chemicals are harmful to human health. It can cause severe metabolic disorders.
An RO purifier consumes less energy compared to other forms of purification. It conserves energy and saves costs for you.
Improvement of the taste of drinking water.
Maintenance is easy. Servicing is only required once every two years at most.

Conclusion:

Water is the life source and fuel for the human body. Consequentially water has to be clean and uncontaminated to serve its benefits. If not, it does more harm than help your body.

So invest in quality water purifiers - your body will thank you for it. Go for at least a 4 stage reverse osmosis filter that can provide you clean, nourishing water.

If you’re interested in treating water at your house you might also like to read about the best water softeners and the benefits of using a water softener in your home.

Author Bio:

Steffy Alen is a copywriter and content strategist. She helps businesses stop playing around with content marketing and start seeing the tangible ROI. She loves writing as much as she loves the cake.