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DIY Reverse Osmosis Water System

Reverse osmosis (RO) refers to a method of treating contaminated water. It is proven method for creating large volumes of pure, clean water. The treatment process works by applying pressure to the water and forcing it through a filtering membrane that is so minute when straining that, in theory, it keeps out certain particles out of the water, including organic, inorganic, bacteria and other particles. It is very popular in the desalination process that converts sea water into drinking water.

  1. Considerations

    • Test your water supply in order to determine the amount and types of toxins it has. This is important so that you purchase a system that can handle the pollutants. The majority of the water is lost in the reverse osmosis filtration process. The efficiency rate is anywhere from five to 15 percent. For each gallon of water that is filtered, only 15 percent is purified--the rest is waste.
      The RO system must operate at a pressure of 40 psi. If pressure is an issue, you can attach a booster pump. If the incoming water is really turbid, install a whole-house filter before installing the reverse osmosis system. The area for the system needs to have dimensions of about 18 inches height by 18 inches width and 8 inches depth. The holding tank can be placed as far as 30 feet away.

    RO Kit

    • RO DIY kits are relatively easy to assemble. Generally, components of the reverse osmosis water system include five or six factory-connected filters. The filters are set up on a hanging metal housing unit. There is also a pressurized holding tank with a capacity of three to six gallons. Clean water is stored in this container; the water can be routed to a sink or a faucet. You will need a faucet, hoses, an automatic shutoff valve and a needle-piercing saddle or a standard ball water feed valve. The idea is to feed the water through each filter. The water is purified in a series of steps.

    Installation

    • Install the faucet after placing your reverse osmosis system and your fresh water holding tank in the desired locations. If you do not have an additional sink-top hole to place the clean water faucet, replace the sink faucet with one that has a pullout sprayer, then drill a new hole for the sprayed in the sink or counter top. Connect the water feed valve to the cold water line. Be sure to place a water drip pan under your filter array. A discharge line will need to be routed from the pan to a utility sink. Make sure that you connect the necessary hoses and fittings.

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