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While most municipalities today provide safe and relatively tasty drinking water to homeowners, all water systems contain impurities that can affect the water’s taste, odor, color, and even its health benefits. Not all contaminants are regulated by the EPA, so water treatment facilities cannot and do not remove many of the impurities most of us do not wish to drink.
Using a reverse osmosis system in your home to purify your drinking water is one method to not only improve the taste of your water but also ensure it is the healthiest, purest water you can be drinking.
Reverse osmosis works by using the water pressure in your home to force the water through a semipermeable membrane that is capable of removing significant contaminants from your water. Used in conjunction with pre- and post-filters, usually carbon or sediment filters, reverse osmosis systems can remove such impurities as lead, sulfates, chlorine, fluoride, pesticides, and nitrates.
Reverse osmosis can even remove disease-causing elements and chemical contaminants that make their way into our aquifers and watersheds.
Benefits of Drinking Reverse Osmosis Water
Household Benefits
There are household benefits to drinking and using reverse osmosis water. When you use a reverse osmosis purification system in your home, you can stop buying bottled water. Because you can enjoy clean, tasty water right from the tap, there is no need to purchase expensive bottled water, and you’ll be contributing less waste to the landfill, too.
You’ll probably notice that your food and drinks taste better, too. Water purified through reverse osmosis makes the food you cook taste better, as the impurities found in tap water will no longer end up in your cooking. Coffee and tea will taste better without those impurities, too.
Health Benefits
You may wonder, is reverse osmosis water good for me? There are many health benefits of reverse osmosis drinking water that is purified using the reverse osmosis process. You can be sure you are drinking water that is free of lead, which can cause significant health problems, especially in children.
For those with compromised immune systems, such as cancer patients, drinking untreated water that may contain harmful micro-organisms can be very harmful. Reverse osmosis drinking water eliminates these tiny germs, making it safe for even the most vulnerable among us to drink.
A common micro-organism that can cause significant problems is cryptosporidium. This parasite is found in contaminated water and can cause gastrointestinal problems, particularly in small children. Reverse osmosis filtration removes all traces of cryptosporidium.
If you have high blood pressure, kidney disease, or liver disease, RO water may be a good choice for you, as well. The process removes the large molecules of sodium found in your water. The purified water is therefore safe to drink without adding additional, unwanted sodium to the diets of those sensitive to its effects.
There has been some concern raised that reverse osmosis filters can actually remove too many minerals from your drinking water. Water is meant to contain some minerals which are beneficial to our bodies, such as small levels of calcium and magnesium. Because reverse osmosis removes all impurities, these minerals no longer make their way into your drinking water.
Additional Benefits
If your RO system provides water to all supply lines in your home, you will enjoy the benefits of softer water in other parts of your home, as well. Reverse osmosis water is soft, which means it will make it easier to wash your dishes and your skin. Clothes will appear brighter and fluffier without the added minerals in your wash water.
You might also notice you have softer skin and smoother hair when showering and washing with RO water. Appliances will last longer when they are not clogged with the minerals left behind by hard water.
There are significant benefits to drinking and using reverse osmosis water in your home. When considering if this water purification method is right for you, it is important to have all the facts and to understand how reverse osmosis works.
I think you have mentioned some very interesting details, appreciate it for the post. Magdalene Thatch Bette
Thanks for helping me understand how a reverse osmosis water filter could help purify and keep your drinking water healthy. My friend is thinking of moving to the countryside for his retirement. I hope this can convince him to find a water filter expert as a start.