I have studied the disadvantages of reverse osmosis, quite extensively. I was wondering does reverse osmosis make water safe to drink. And, if it does, how does it accomplish that feat? Let me share with you what I have learned.

Despite the disadvantages of reverse osmosis, it is an important step for treatment facilities and it has many useful industrial applications. It is just that those who promote this system for use in the home often exaggerate about the range of contaminants that can be removed.

Whenever you are shopping for anything, education is the best thing to take along. In fact, leave your credit cards at home, until you decide what the right choice for your family is. You could make and impulse buy and arrive back at home still wondering does reverse osmosis make water safe to drink. So, get your facts first.

There a few disadvantages of reverse osmosis that are not safety issues. There are environmental and economical drawbacks, so I’ll cover those briefly, first.

They are expensive to buy, install and maintain. The replacement membranes last a maximum of 36 weeks and cost around $300 to replace. If the membrane is damaged, it may have to be replaced sooner. Bacteria can contaminate the membranes if your source waters are contaminated. A disinfection method is necessary to prevent this type of contamination.

Most units require electricity to operate, so that is another payment that the homeowner must consider. They create gallons of wastewater that has to be ejected through a procedure called back flushing. That can be an economic and an environmental issue. What does someone do with this wastewater? In most cases, it will end up in your septic or sewer system.

Some of the newer models have many improvements beyond the traditional filter, but the disadvantages of reverse osmosis are still there. They have just added extra steps to address the issue of safety.

You see. The real answer to “does reverse osmosis make water safe to drink” is this. In very simple and blunt terms, the answer is no. Single stage systems only remove some of the contaminants that affect your health and safety.

That is why some of the newer systems have added activated carbon granules. This stage removes chemical contaminants that are not removed through reverse osmosis.

Some people are concerned about the disadvantages of reverse osmosis, because of parasitic cysts. People with compromised immune systems are advised to purchase a sub-micron filtration purifier for their home. An RO system that can remove particles smaller than a micron, that’s about the size of a speck of dust on a pinhead, can remove parasitic systems.

But, there are other sub-micron filtration systems that also remove cysts and cost a lot less. Knowing how reverse osmosis makes water safer to drink should help you choose the right system for your home.

For most of us, the disadvantages of reverse osmosis outweigh the benefits.