What Is the Difference Between Ro Water & Filtered Water?

The primary difference between reverse osmosis (RO) and filtered water is the technique used to make water potable. Filtered water removes contaminants using physical barriers or chemical processes. RO removes impurities by exposing water under pressure to a semipermeable membrane.

History

• The Navy used RO to process salt water in submarines.

  According to the website History of Water Filters, water filtration dates back more than 2,000 years. Modern techniques using carbon, ceramic and ultraviolet radiation gained popularity following The Clean Water Act of 1972. Reverse osmosis was developed and used by the Navy in the 1950s to process salt water in submarines.

Process

• FIltering water.

  Carbon filtration systems (the most common) use positively charged and absorbent carbon to attract and trap chlorine, heavy metals and organic chemicals.

  RO uses pressure to force contaminated water through a semipermeable membrane, allowing pure water to pass through it, while rejecting contaminants that are too large.

Applications

• Household drinking water.

  Carbon filters are most commonly used to purify household water, but are also used industrially to treat waste water.

  RO is used to filter salt water and remove minerals in water at power plants and some man-made aquariums.

Advantages

• Carbon filtration removes chlorine and some heavy metals such as mercury and cadmium. It is energy-efficient, inexpensive, and widely available.

  RO filtration is most effective at removing large inorganic compounds and trace minerals. It is the preferred technology for desalinating water and producing mineral-free water.

Disadvantages

• Both RO and carbon filters have advantages and disadvantages when it comes to purifying water.

  Carbon filters are not adequate for cleaning untreated water containing microorganisms and inorganic material. According to Heart Spring online, they also don't filter acidic water, and can be susceptible to mold.

  RO filters can strip water of beneficial minerals like calcium and magnesium. It's not very effective at blocking smaller particles found in pesticides and herbicides. It's also a slow process that wastes large amounts of water.