Of all the water treatments available, it is the reverse osmosis that is the most widely used not only in India but also across the world. This substantiates the fact that level of total dissolved solids (TDS) and suspended particles in water are high in most of the regions. In such areas, use of only a reverse osmosis filter system is considered effective. Well there are both advantages and disadvantages associated with any mechanism and reverse osmosis is no exception.

Here is a list of the advantages of drinking water purification related to reverse osmosis:

• Excess TDS can be dangerous to health if consumed without treatment. Only an advanced reverse osmosis filter system can remove excess TDS
• Presence of micro organisms in water cannot be negated. Most of these organisms like bacteria, virus, etc. are harmful that cause diseases, few of them fatal. An RO drinking water purification system removes disease-causing micro organisms during the purification process
• Water that is not treated may not taste good. Foul smell, color, etc. are common elements generally found. Reverse osmosis treatment results in tastier drinking water
• Presence of high TDS levels makes the water hard; cooking then becomes tough and takes time. If it is treated via RO, food gets cooked faster
• RO treatment does not require any addition of chemicals nor does it impart toxic by-products into the water
• Running costs of a reverse osmosis filter system are lower than that of boiling, getting packaged liquid, etc.

Disadvantages associated may dampen your spirits but you cannot do away with the recommendation provided in the test report. If you are recommended to use a reverse osmosis drinking water purification system, you will have to use it to maintain good health of yourself and your family members.

RO water purifiers use a lot of water during the purification process. They recover only 5 to 15 percent of the liquid entering the system. The rest gets discharged as waste. If your drinking water purification system delivers five gallons of treated liquid per day, 40 to 90 gallons get wasted. Yes, you can utilize the waste by using it for cleaning purposes, watering the garden, etc. Do remember not to use it for cooking or bathing purposes. If you do not want to use the waste, you can connect it to your home drain. But the disadvantages cannot be done away with!