If you are looking for a water purifier, you must have encountered the term “RO water purifier” a lot. Well, Reverse Osmosis or RO is a type of purifier that can treat hard water and make it drinkable. It is popular for removing contaminants, harmful substances dissolved in water, and other microorganisms from your drinking water. These purifiers use semi-permeable membranes to help you drink pure water. The purification process can remove contaminants, including lead, copper, sodium, some organic chemicals, and much more.
List of the Disadvantages of RO water purifier
But, have you ever thought about the negative side of a RO water purifier? While it has many benefits, it certainly comes with several disadvantages, which are less known to people. This article will help you learn about the disadvantages of RO water purifiers. And if you are using one already, you can at least consider learning about its disadvantages and take the required precautions to drink pure and mineral-rich water. Now, without further ado, let’s find out what are the disadvantages of RO water purifiers:
01. RO wastes a lot of water in the purification method:
Well, as you might know, there will be a waste of water in this purification method. However, water stations can only purify 25% of water and reject 75% of it. Although there are some models like AO Smith, which has advanced RO that wastes comparatively less water. Yet, you can’t avoid the fact that RO does waste water. However, suppose you are already using a RO water purifier. In that case, you can reduce the wastage of water by simply collecting and using it for other purposes like gardening, flushing, etc.
02. Reverse Osmosis purifiers are quite expensive:
If you are planning to buy a new water purifier, you must be aware that the price of RO purifiers is not very pocket friendly. RO uses the same technology used by most quality water refilling stations that give purified water, which consumes less energy and is also cost-efficient. The price of a RO water purifier starts from Rs. 15000 and can keep going up. Thus, yes! RO is more expensive than other filters, and the water quality is the same as that you can get without bearing such heavy expenditure.
03. Reverse Osmosis removes all the essential minerals:
RO systems are popular for removing contaminants and harmful substances from the water. But did you know that, along with toxic substances, it also expels 92-99% of minerals from your water? Yes, you read it right. While you drink water, you also deliver some minerals that are beneficial to your body, such as magnesium, calcium, etc. But according to a report published by World Health Organization, it is not ideal to consume low mineral water as it can trigger certain deficiencies. You must drink water filled with essential minerals, or else you might struggle with cancer, early death, pregnancy disorder, and much more.
04. Reverse Osmosis is difficult to both install and maintain:
You must know that RO purifiers mostly purify water in several stages. Which makes the dissembling, cleaning, and reinstalling process quite difficult. Besides, to install it for the first time, you must seek help from a professional. As it has a membrane, it requires a system to help drain or store the rejected water from the RO. Because of their complex nature, RO purifiers are usually harder to install and maintain. It requires time, effort, and lots of energy. This disadvantage will surely give you second thoughts on your decision to bring home a RO water purifier.
Is RO Water Good or Bad for You?
RO is a membrane-based water purification technology which works by applying pressure to water and forcing it through semipermeable membranes in order to remove impurities. This way, through which microorganisms, soluble salts, metals and other pollutants are filtered out, we have pure water, which can be safely consumed. However, what about this, the water that is pure H2O; is it really good for you?
Pros of Drinking RO Water
- Removes Harmful Contaminants: RO, a filtration method, removes threatening contaminants such as arsenic, lead, mercury, chromium, pesticides, and asbestos. This provides one of the best indications that the water is safe for drinking.
- Lowers Risk of Water-Borne Diseases: The advanced purification process of RO kills bacteria and viruses, lowering the risk of contracting diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery from water.
- Prevents Mineral Build-Up: RO water does not contain magnesium and calcium, which means it prevents scale build-up in pipes and water heaters.
- Improves Kidney Function: Drinking RO water with lower dissolved solids puts less strain on your kidneys, improving their functioning over time. This makes it beneficial for people with kidney-related issues.
Cons of Drinking RO Water
- Lacks Essential Minerals: While RO removes harmful contaminants, it also filters out essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc.
| Mineral | RO Water | Tap Water |
| Calcium | None | 10-100 mg/L |
| Magnesium | None | 1-30 mg/L |
| Sodium | 2-10 mg/L | 20-100 mg/L |
- Changes Taste of Water: The intensive purification process of RO water gives it a flat, insipid taste. This may make you drink less than required or opt for unhealthy alternatives.
- Wastage of Water: The RO process wastes 2-3 times more water than it purifies.
While RO water is safer from a purity standpoint, striking a balance is key. Use RO filtration where tap water quality is poor or suspicious. Mineralize RO water before drinking by adding a pinch of pink salt and lemon. And utilize the wastewater from RO for cleaning or gardening purposes to avoid unnecessary wastage.
Overall, in moderation with demineralization, RO water can be good for you. But it shouldn’t fully replace natural drinking water sources. Use RO judiciously by checking tap water reports in your area.
Conclusion
To conclude, in the current standard of purification of drinking water, RO is ruling the market. While it has some disadvantages, people often tend to overblow them. The RO is not a perfect system, but it is one of the most reliable water purification technologies you can find on the market. Innumerable people depend on this technology for safe drinking water. You can select a RO water purifier for your home, but it is wise to know its disadvantages first.
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