The most basic need for a healthy life is – Clean and safe drinking water. But today the amount of dirt, chemicals, pesticides and dangerous metals in water is constantly increasing. The water coming into the house often looks clean, but the contaminants hidden in it can harm your health.
This is the reason why now the need for Water Purifier is important in every home. There are many water purifiers available in the market today – like UF (Ultrafiltration), UV (Ultraviolet), and RO (Reverse Osmosis). Of these, RO Water Purifier is considered to be the most effective, especially when there are dangerous chemicals, salts or metals dissolved in the water.
In this article, you will know in detail how RO Water Purifier works, what are its benefits, and whether it is the right choice for your home water or not.
What is RO Water Purifier?
RO stands for Reverse Osmosis. It is a water purification technology that is known to remove harmful chemicals, salts, metals and germs dissolved in water. When the impurities in water are not just visible, but also contain dangerous elements dissolved in it — then RO Water Purifier becomes the most effective option.
This system has a semi-permeable membrane, which allows only clean water to pass through and removes the rest of the impurities. This is why RO technology cleans more deeply than ordinary filters.
Why is RO so popular in India?
In many areas of India, the source of water is borewell or other such sources in which the water is very dirty – like it has salty taste, odor, foam, or chemical impurities. It is difficult to clean such water completely with ordinary UF or UV purifiers.
The popularity of RO Water Purifier has increased because:
- It improves the taste of water
- It removes toxic elements from water
- It protects the health of the whole family
Important Reminder: If the water coming to your home is salty or there is a possibility of any chemical adulteration in it, then RO Water Purifier can be the most suitable option for you.
How RO Water Purifier work?
RO Water Purifier is a multi-stage purification system that purifies water deeply. This system removes not only visible impurities but also salts, chemicals, pesticides and heavy metals dissolved in water.
Let us understand how this technology works step by step:
1. Pre-Filtration
First, the raw water passes through a sediment filter and then a carbon filter.
- The sediment filter removes clay, sand and solid dirt from the water.
- The carbon filter filters out chlorine, odor and organic impurities present in the water.
This step is very important to protect the RO membrane.
2. Reverse Osmosis (RO Membrane Process)
After this, the water goes to the semi-permeable RO membrane.
- This membrane is so fine that it allows only pure water to pass through.
- Salts, chemicals, germs and toxic elements get stuck in this membrane and pass out (reject water).
This step is the most important part of the whole system.
3. Post-filtration and UV/UF (optional)
After passing through RO, water passes through Post Carbon Filter again which improves its taste.
Nowadays many RO Water Purifiers also have advanced stages like UV (Ultraviolet) or UF (Ultrafiltration):
- UV technology kills the remaining viruses and bacteria in the water.
- UF technology filters out solid germs and cysts from the water.
Flow Process Summary of Water:
Raw Water → Sediment Filter → Carbon Filter → RO Membrane → Post Carbon Filter → UV/UF (Optional) → Pure Water
Essential Insights: RO Water Purifier is a technology that purifies water at many levels – first it removes dirt, then filters out toxic elements dissolved in water and finally eliminates viruses and bacteria. This is the reason why it has become the first choice for most of the homes in India today.
Components of RO Water Purifier and Their Functions
An RO Water Purifier is made up of many parts, and each part has its own role. All of them work together to deeply clean the water to give you pure, tasty and safe drinking water.
Let’s know its main components and their functions:
1. RO Membrane
This is the most important part of the system.
- This membrane is so thin that it stops salt, chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals and bacteria present in the water.
- Only pure water can pass through this membrane.
2. Sediment Filter
- It first filters mud, sand, rust and solid particles from the water.
- This increases the life of the RO membrane and does not cause blockage.
3. Activated Carbon Filter
- It removes chlorine, odor and biological impurities present in the water.
- Also improves the taste of water.
4. TDS Controller
- It balances the essential minerals present in the water.
- The RO membrane sometimes removes all the minerals, so the TDS controller ensures that the minerals beneficial for health remain.
5. UV or UF unit (if included)
- UV (Ultraviolet) light kills viruses and bacteria present in the water, which can pass through the RO membrane.
- UF (Ultrafiltration) membrane keeps out solid germs and cysts, especially when the water is extremely dirty.
6. Storage Tank
- It stores the purified water that has passed all the filtration stages.
- This gives you clean water whenever you open the tap, whether there is electricity or not.
Keep in Mind: The performance of every RO Water Purifier depends on the quality of its components. So, always choose a purifier which has good branded filters, and which gives the right combination (RO + UV + UF + TDS Controller) as per your water quality.
How does RO removes contaminants?
The most special thing about RO Water Purifier is its RO Membrane, which comes with very fine pores. Its main function is to remove dangerous impurities dissolved in water that cannot be removed by normal filters.
RO Membrane Size – How Small is Its Hole?
The pore size of RO membrane is only 0.0001 micron. For comparison –
- The diameter of a hair is about 70 microns
- And the size of a bacteria is between 0.2 to 2 microns
This means that RO membrane can not only remove bacteria and viruses from water, but can also stop even smaller dissolved chemicals, salts, metals and pesticides.
What does RO Water Purifier remove?
RO membrane removes from water:
- Dissolved salts (such as fluoride, nitrate)
- Heavy metals (such as lead, arsenic, mercury)
- Pesticides and chemicals
- Bacteria and viruses
- Bad smell or taste giving elements
How effective is RO compared to other technologies?
| Technology | Dissolved salts | Bacteria | Viruses | Chemical | Solid Dirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UF | ❌ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔ |
| UV | ❌ | ✔ (Kills) | ✔ (Kills) | ❌ | ❌ |
| RO | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
- UF only filters water but does not remove dissolved solids
- UV kills germs but does not remove them
- While RO Water Purifier does the most deep cleaning – at every level
Key Takeaways: If you want your drinking water to be completely free of all types of impurities – visible or invisible – then RO membrane is your first line of defense. Its cleaning capability is far more effective than any other home water purification technology.
Benefits of RO Water Purifier
When it comes to deep water cleaning, RO Water Purifier is considered to be the most reliable option. It removes not only visible impurities but also harmful dissolved elements in water — which are usually not visible but are extremely harmful to health.
Let’s know some special benefits of RO Water Purifier:
1. Removes Dissolved Impurities
RO technology effectively removes dissolved impurities such as salt, chemicals, pesticides and heavy metals present in water. These impurities does not get removed even by ordinary filter or boiling.
2. Improves the Taste and Smell of Water
RO Water Purifier not only cleans the water, but also makes it taste better. Sometimes things like metals or chlorine in water can cause strange smell or taste, which RO completely removes.
3. Safe for Children and Elderly People
Absolutely pure and clean water is necessary for children, the elderly and people with weak immunity. RO Water Purifier provides them safe water by removing bacteria, viruses and chemicals.
4. Suitable for Borewell and Dirty Water
If the water in your house comes from borewell or such sources in which the water is salty, has foam or smells, then RO Water Purifier is the best option. It makes even deeply contaminated water drinkable.
Final Thoughts to Consider: RO Water Purifier is not just a convenience, but a shield for your health. If you live in an area where water is deeply contaminated or has dissolved impurities, RO technology is a must-have investment for your family.
Limitations of RO Water Purifier
Even though RO Water Purifier is considered to be the most deep cleaning technology, every technology has some limitations. RO is also not the most suitable option in some situations. Let us know some of its major drawbacks:
1. Water Wastage
A major problem in the RO purification process is water wastage.
- While making pure water, a part comes out as dirty water (reject water).
- Usually, 2–3 liters of water can be wasted for 1 liter of clean water.
- However, this water can be used for purposes like mopping, cleaning or gardening.
2. Dependence on Electricity
Electricity is required to run the RO Water Purifier.
- It has a pump, electronic valve and UV light (if included), which do not work without electricity.
- Its continuous use may be difficult in areas with power cuts.
3. Not required for Already Clean Water
If the water coming to your home is already clean — like municipal or filtered supply — and there is no bitterness, odor or adulteration in it, then there is no need for RO.
- Even from such water, the RO membrane can remove essential minerals, which are beneficial for health.
4. Removes Essential Minerals too (if there is no mineral booster)
The RO membrane also filters out essential minerals (like calcium, magnesium) present in the water.
- If the RO system does not have a TDS controller or mineral booster, the water may be less useful for health.
- So always choose a model that has this feature.
Important Reminder: Choose an RO Water Purifier only if there is really dissolved impurities or chemicals present in your water. If the water is already clean, then options like UF+UV may be more useful and water-saving.
Who Needs RO Water Purifier?
Every household has a different water quality, and it is important to choose the right Water Purifier based on that. RO Water Purifier is specially designed for households where the water is deeply contaminated – both visible and invisible.
So let’s know for whom RO is best suited:
1. People using Borewell, Tanker or Salty Water
If your home water is from borewell, private water tanker, or any such source in which the water is salty, foamy or smelly, then RO Water Purifier is the right choice for you.
- This water is usually full of dissolved impurities and metals
- RO technology makes such water completely drinkable and safe
2. Industrial Areas or Areas with Hard Water
People who live in areas where there are factories nearby, there is often chemical adulteration in the water.
- Apart from this, RO is also necessary in areas with hard water because it contains calcium, magnesium and other minerals in large quantities
- RO cleans water by removing such deep-rooted impurities
Who should not buy RO Water Purifier?
If your house gets municipal or such supply water which is already clean and sweet – that is, it looks clean, tastes good and does not have any odor – then there is no need for RO.
- Such water can be filtered properly only by technology like UF+UV Water Purifier
- This also does not lead to water wastage and mineral loss
Don’t Forget: You should buy RO Water Purifier only when your water has deep-rooted impurities – like salinity, chemicals, metals or strange taste/odor. Not every house needs RO, so first get the water tested, then take the right decision.
Conclusion
RO Water Purifier is a great option if your drinking water has a lot of dissolved impurities or bad taste and odor. Let’s find out when it can prove to be right for you:
- RO technology makes water drinkable by removing harmful chemicals, heavy metals, viruses and bacteria from the water.
- This is important for homes that use salty water from borewells, tankers or sea areas.
- If your water has a lot of impurities or does not feel safe to drink, then you will not get better purification from RO.
- If you or your family members are getting sick frequently or are facing any water related health issues, it may be a sign that you need a RO water purifier.
- But if the water is already clean (like municipal supply), then other low cost options may be better than RO.
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is RO Water Purifier?
RO (Reverse Osmosis) is a water purification technology that removes dissolved impurities such as salts, chemicals, metals, germs and viruses from water.
Q2. What is the difference between RO and UV?
RO removes dissolved impurities and chemicals, while UV only kills bacteria and viruses but does not remove them from the water.
Q3. Is RO Water Purifier necessary for every household?
No, RO is necessary only if your water has deep contamination like salinity, chemicals or odor. UF+UV Water Purifier may be better for clean water.
Q4. How much water is wasted by RO?
RO system can waste about 2-3 liters of water for 1 liter of purified water, which can be used for household purposes.
Q5. What are the things to keep in mind while buying RO Water Purifier?
Check the water quality (get a TDS test done), choose a model with TDS controller/mineral booster and also check the availability of electricity.