What is RO in Water Purifier?

Everybody wants to drink clean water, but obtaining clean water is a tedious task. People look up to the best RO water purifiers in the market. But very few people know the actual terms like what is RO in water purifier. 

In the current times, it is very hard to find a good source of natural water. Everything is contaminated, starting from the groundwater to the municipality water. It is essential to have an RO water purifier to eliminate contaminants. 

RO water purifier has become an essential unit that you find in every home. As their benefits and as well as a drawback. Do not worry when I term that our RO water purifier has a drawback. You will come to know later in this blog post.

You can find tons of RO water purifiers in the market. Choosing the right one for you is the main thing. As every RO water purifier machine features differ brand by brand. You should have basic knowledge about how RO works.

People are conscious of the features that are integrated with a water purifier. Every feature has its own roles and responsibilities in the purification of water. For making smart decisions to buy a water purifier, you need to know what is RO all about and how does it matter to you.

This is a comprehensive blog post where we talk about, what is RO in water purifiers, the benefits of drinking RO purified water, and how the RO process works.

What is RO in water purifier? 

RO is a short form for reverse osmosis. Reverse osmosis is a process involved in the purification of water which is also known as RO membrane. This is one of the most popularly used strategies in terms of water purification. The reverse osmosis membrane helps to pass the water through a tube in order to eliminate contaminants. When the water is passing through the membrane, all the salts and other contaminants are eliminated. 

It is one of the most popular methods in water purifiers in which two to eliminate viruses and bacteria. And other harmful elements as well. However, the main motive of RO in water purifiers is to eliminate all the attributes that constitute water-borne diseases. 

This is one of the most basic and popular platforms involved in the water purification stage. Without this feature, it is very hard to obtain clean water. It is essential for you to buy a water purifier that has a reverse osmosis process.

How does a RO purifier work? 

reverse osmosis water purification machine

RO purifier has a reverse osmosis membrane that acts as a filter through which the water passes and contaminants or impure substances gets eliminated from the water. The water passes through high pressure into a tiny membrane that is made up of polyamide. This makes it very hard for impurities to pass through.

Reverse osmosis membrane ensures that water which is not fit for drinking purpose doesn’t pass through it. 

Usually, you can’t observe the difference and these reverse osmosis membranes can filter out any scale of impurities. The RO membrane has been designed in such a way that it can also reduce TDS levels in the water. 

RO membrane doesn’t only limit to removing impurities, the membrane converts hard water into soft water. Thus, by ensuring the water is fit for consumption purposes.

It also helps in removing chemical substances that shouldn’t be present in water. Hence, after the process has been completed, the water is free from germs and bacteria. 

Benefits of RO purifier 

A reverse osmosis purifier is being used for decades. It is a well-trusted home appliance where you can get healthy drinking water. Below are some of the benefits that reverse osmosis purifiers can help you with. 

Powerful filtration process 

RO water purifier has a powerful filtration process that doesn’t limit itself to filtering the impurities. But also, helps in eliminating toxic substances such as mercury, chlorine, and other harmful chemicals. 

RO purifier has a strong filtration process that is very efficient in eliminating contaminants. It assures up to 90% water purity which is a fair level for consumption of water. 

Energy efficient 

Unlike other modes of water purifier, RO purifier requires a minimal amount of energy. Thus, by ensuring you don’t need to pay a high electricity bill. 

Due to its perfect mechanism, RO water tends to consume less electricity and provides the best performance in water purification. 

Converts hard water into soft 

A RO purifier mechanism helps in converting hard water to soft water. Depending upon the levels of TDS, RO purifiers work hard in simplifying it. 

It also helps in improving the taste of water. You might have observed a pattern where it eliminates bad odour and smell thereby improving its taste. 

Easy to maintain 

RO water purifiers are very easy to maintain due to their simplicity of mechanism. The parts that have been installed can lead a longer life. This is going to be a budget-friendly approach for you. 

There are reports which usually depend on the brand, usually, the service takes place once or twice annually. And this water purifier can be installed and fit within a small space.

Browse for the best RO Water Purifiers

FAQs of using RO water purifier 

Here are some of the common queries faced by the consumers while using an RO water purifier. 

What all chemical substances does the RO purifier eliminate? 

The reverse osmosis system has the power to filter out the hardest dissolved solids. Some of the common elements can be chlorine, fluoride, etc. 

It can also remove salt, pesticides, and sediment. 

RO purifier has a powerful filtration process that can eliminate a range of contaminants. If you are asking whether it eliminates bacteria and viruses, it works up to a certain extent. But doesn’t guarantee that it eliminates viruses and bacteria. 

What is the role of the storage tank that is attached to the RO water purifier? 

The storage tank of the RO water purifier has the capacity to hold purified water. As a RO water purifier dense to process and filter water slower, the storage tank is necessary in order to preserve the water supply. 

It takes time, depending upon how hard the water is. The filtration will range from 5 to 10 minutes to complete the whole process and fill the tank. 

What is the average lifespan of a RO purifier machine? 

RO water purifier machine is easy to maintain which I had discussed earlier. 

If you are servicing correctly which is twice annually, the lifespan will be more. Another major factor would be the level of impurity present in water that influences a lot over the RO water purifier machine. You even need to take care of the spare parts which would be the filter that should be replaced as per the cycle.

Usually, when all the parameters are met and have been maintained perfectly, RO water purifiers range around 10 years of lifespan.

What are the stages of water purification in RO purifiers? 

Basically, it depends upon the brand of water purifier. Usually, the stage of water purification where is between 3 to 5 stages. You can find this information from the brand description. 

Majorly the filtration constitutes three main phases that are pre-filtration, active filtration and post-filtration. This process starts with eliminating dirt or dust elements. And then it precedes to reduce or remove odour and bad taste. Then the harmful chemical substances are removed before the water is supplied. 

What are the ways in reducing the wastewater transmitted from RO purifiers? 

We all agree that our RO purifier has a major drawback which is reducing wastage of water. But nowadays technologies are smarter and they try to minimize the wastage of water on their own. 

Few of the experts recommend using a pump or intelligent features that the newer generation water purifier has. You need to carefully check the features and see which purifier suits the best for requirements. 

Can I use the wastewater produced from a RO purifier to cleaning the home? 

There is a huge debate over this, but we don’t recommend it because the water is still and fit you want to clean home. 

Instead, you can use this water for outdoor purposes. It can be for washing the floor or can be even used for gardening purposes. You can even use it to clean sewages as well as your car or bike. 

Pro tip: you can mix the wastewater with tap water and can be used it for washing utensils. 

Is RO water safe to consume? 

It is completely safe to drink.

RO purified water is safe for consumption. 

But if you are seeing it on a darker side, your body will not receive the required nutrients and minerals. Because reverse osmosis is the process where it filter sort all elements. 

That’s the reason, UV, UF, and TDS process is used to regain the minerals in water and making them fit for consumption. 

But it’s not like, it’s harmful to your body. Compared to impure water, RO purified water is much better than that. If you can ignore the fact that it lacks all the required nutrients, then this won’t be a problem for you. 

For what purposes can I use an RO water purifier? 

RO water purifier acts versatile in various forms. 

You can use an RO water purifier in the kitchen to soft in the hard water so that the utensils can be damaged. 

RO water purifiers are used in the bathroom to soften the hard water so that the water you bathe is safe for the skin. 

You can even use RO purified water for aquarium purposes. 

Are water softener and RO water purifier the same? 

I’m afraid, it is not. 

The water softener has its own role like it helps to convert hard water into soft. Whereas, RO water purifier helps to filter out the harmful substance which a water softener doesn’t. 

RO Water purifier serves both like filtering out the impurities and converting hard water into soft. 

Water softeners are usually used in bathrooms so that you get soft water to have a shower or bath. You can even use the water for washing clothes and even cleaning your automobile. 

Can I use an RO water purifier in my office? 

You are safe to use an RO water purifier for residential or commercial purposes. 

They serve the best purpose when there is the proper usage of water on a large scale. 

As RO water purifiers are durable and even lasts long, it makes the best fit for commercial purpose. The annual maintenance cost is low making it a better choice for using an RO water purifier in the office.

What are the cons of using RO water purifiers? 

The major drawback would be the wastage of water. RO water purifier emits a huge quantity of wastewater just to filter out a minimal amount of consumable water. Governments are reaching strict guidelines to reduce the usage of RO water machines in areas where there is less groundwater. 

The RO water purifier machine works only when the water pressure has high force. Unlike UV and UF that filter out water even in normal pressure. 

It doesn’t kill all the germs and bacteria. It is a filtration process that filters out harmful elements and substances. However, the purity of water is guaranteed around 90%. 

RO water purifier runs on electricity. Whenever if there is any power cut, the filtration doesn’t take place. This results in the unavailability of consumable drinking water.

reverse osmosis process in water purifier

Over to you 

Now when you have read this comprehensive guide of what is RO in water purifier. You can now make a smarter decision by selecting the best water purifier for your need. 

It basically depends on the brand of water purifier and even the features that it can perform. If you are getting a water purifier that has all the features, then it’s the best pick for you. 

As water is an essential part of our lives, it is important to get the Best RO water purifier for ourselves. However, there is a constant debate that takes place between RO vs UV vs UF vs TDS vs MP vs MTDS. Each filtration technique has its own set of roles in water purification. It is difficult to distinguish which one is best.

I want to conclude this blog by saying, it will be ideal for you to purchase a water purifier that has all the filtration techniques.

Suggested read:

What is MP in Water Purifier?

What is UV in Water Purifier?

What is UF in Water Purifier?

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