Water is an element that is essential not only for your survival but also for your overall daily wellness and productivity. Improper hydration can lead to a plethora of issues, ranging from mild tiredness, headaches, etc., to more serious ones like kidney stones, severe dehydration, etc. While the importance of hydration is well understood, one factor that is as crucial but often gets overlooked is the quality of the water you consume. With the widespread pollution and contamination of water bodies, most of the water that we get via civic sources or bore well is contaminated and this is why a good quality RO water purifier has become a necessity in current times.

The market today is flooded with different purifiers, each claiming to be better than the other. In this article, we delve into the workings of an RO purifier and its advantages and investigate the cost of maintenance to help you choose one that fits not only your water requirements but also your budget.

What is an RO purifier?

A Reverse osmosis water purifier is arguably the best model and certainly the most popular one available today. By reversing the natural osmotic process, high pressure is applied to water, which passes through a semipermeable membrane. This membrane has minor pores, which are approximately 0.0001 microns in size. 

This RO membrane allows the passage of water but leaves behind impurities like pathogens, dissolved solids, heavy metals, etc. This purified water is separated from impurities, and you can access safe drinking water.  These are used for household and commercial applications like beverage processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, seawater desalination, etc.

How does a RO purifier work?

When water passes through a membrane in natural osmosis, it becomes more concentrated to restore equilibrium. By employing high pressure, greater than this osmotic pressure, and forcing water through a semipermeable RO membrane, pollutants are prevented from entering the membrane’s less concentrated side. This high pressure causes the pure water to pass through, leaving the impurities stuck to the membrane.

There are various stages in which filtration happens in a RO purifier.

• The first is a sediment filter, which is the first stage, where large and visible impurities like dirt, dust debris, etc., are filtered.
• The next is the carbon prefilter, which uses activated carbon, which has a high surface area to remove organic impurities, chloride, etc., through a process called adsorption. This membrane is positioned before the RO membrane in most purifiers.
• The most important RO membrane does most of the purification. This is followed by a carbon post filter that mostly removes the bad odor from water.
• A UF filter is also found in most advanced purifiers. This ultra-filtration further purifies water with a semipermeable membrane that is not as dense as the RO membrane. It allows essential minerals and salts to pass through but prevents silt, bacteria, etc.
• UV filtration destroys any remnants of pathogens by using UV lights. It also destroys any organic matter remaining in the water. 

It is to be noted that UV and UF purifiers are not as effective in purifying water as RO purifiers. The best RO water purifiers for homes offer a combination of these systems to ensure the best water quality.

Advantages of an RO purifier

• The advantages of RO water purifiers are reflected in the purity, taste, and odor of the water that you will get access to. It offers the highest levels of purification compared to all the other purifiers available.
• They remove all forms of pathogens and heavy metals, such as lead and arsenic. They also reduce excess salts, thus reducing drinking water TDS.
• The best RO water purifiers remove calcium and magnesium ions that contribute to hard water and carbonate ions that cause alkalinity.
• These purifiers give you pure water regardless of your source water, thus ensuring that you have access to pure water even if you depend on municipal or borewell water.

Cost of RO water purifiers in India

• With the sheer variety of RO water purifiers available today, the price of an RO water purifier for home use can range between RS 7000 and Rs 45,000. 
• The most common factor affecting the price is the water filtration rate. The additional features of the purifier are responsible for the escalation in the price. The quality of the overall build, number of additional filter chambers, service speed and quality, warranty periods, brand value, and smart features like WIFI connectivity, smartphone app, etc. influence the cost of the purifier.

The maintenance cost of an RO water purifier.

• The maintenance of RO water purifiers can cost between Rs 2000 and Rs 6000 per year. This amount may go towards RO membrane replacement, servicing, or replacement of other pre- or post-filters, UV lamps, and labor charges.
• Most of the maintenance of the RO water purifiers is directed toward its filters, which may require replacement depending on the severity of the contamination of your source water. The sediment and carbon filters cost around Rs 500 and would need to be replaced biannually, if not more frequently than that. 
• The RO membrane, which is like the heart of your water purifier, will need to be replaced every one or two years, again depending on the brand and the quality of your source water. This will cost you between Rs.2000 to 3000.
• Before you invest in an RO purifier, it is best to be cognizant of the annual maintenance costs and cost of common parts and get a schedule of expected maintenance activities so that you are not caught unawares.

Conclusion

Investing in a reliable RO water purifier is crucial for ensuring a constant supply of safe drinking water. Before making a purchase, it’s essential to consider features tailored to address the specific contaminants in your water source, as well as understand the associated maintenance costs.

At DrinkPrime, we offer advanced filtration technology and affordable subscription plans to meet your requirements. Our range of plans allows you to find the perfect fit for your needs, ensuring peace of mind and uninterrupted access to clean water!