How Does a Reverse Osmosis Work?

A Reverse Osmosis (RO) system ensures that drinking water is clear of contaminates. Filtering out impurities in drinking and cooking water has always been popular and now the process is becoming more affordable. But how does it work?

Osmosis occurs when a saline solution migrates to another, higher concentrated saline solution. A good example of this process is when plant roots absorb water from the soil. The water (the less concentrated solution) migrates to the solution with higher concentration (the roots).

Reverse Osmosis requires a semi-permeable membrane which allows some molecules to pass through but not others. To reverse the process of osmosis, the water needs to be “pushed” through the semi-permeable membrane to deionize (demineralize) the water. This allows pure water to move through the membrane while holding the contaminants back. In Reverse Osmosis water systems a high pressure pump increases the pressure on the saline side of the RO membrane and forces the water across the membrane. The product water (or permeate) is then sent through a carbon filter, polishing filter, then through the tap. The reject (or concentrate) water is sent to a drain or, in some circumstances, fed back through the RO system to reduce water waste.

Alberta Water Systems offers different sizes of Reverse Osmosis Systems, depending on your household needs. For drinking and cooking water, a small RO can be installed under your kitchen sink or in your basement. Alternately, if you are interested in purified water for all of your household needs, whole-house RO's are popular. These larger systems would be installed in your basement and would ensure clean, purified water through all taps.