Should You Invest in a Reverse Osmosis Water Purifier?

More Indians are buying mechanized home water purifiers than ever before. Those who previously boiled or filtered tap water are now switching to electrical or chemical based purification systems. Boiling is manual and time consuming whereas candle water filters are not necessarily 100 percent effective.

Besides, those who previously drank untreated or partially treated water are now opting to purify water having either become aware of or suffered the consequences of drinking water straight from the tap. After all, why run the risk of being ill with cholera, diarrhoea, amoebic dysentery, typhoid, jaundice and other diseases when all you have to do is install a non manual purification system at home?

So, which water purifier is the best option for you? Though several brands, both Indian and global, are available today, most are based on either of three technologies – UV purification and filtration, reverse osmosis and resin decontamination. Some purification systems are based on a combination of technologies.

Of these, reverse osmosis systems are known to render raw water 100% microbe free and approximately 90% TDS (total dissolved solids) free on average. reverse osmosis systems have become steadily popular in areas where water is salty and turbid.

These water purifiers are also the most expensive, retailing upwards of Rs.12, 000.
What is reverse osmosis and do you really need an reverse osmosis system? In short, reverse osmosis is a process by which impure water is mechanically forced to flow through a semi permeable membrane to free it of impurities and dissolved solids.

The water on the other side of the membrane is pure. A high quality semi permeable membrane can remove up to 99.8% of dissolved solids including salt. So it effectively purifies and desalinises water. However, this method also filters out essential minerals and as such is not suitable for human consumption in areas where raw water has TDS levels below 500mg per litre.

Reverse Osmosis systems are understood to be suitable where:
- Raw water is hard and saline
- TDS levels are above 500 mg per litre
- Water is sourced from bore wells or deep tube wells
- Raw water is chemically contaminated by pesticides, industrial waste and other   toxins

Reverse osmosis is one of the most thorough processes currently in use in electrical domestic water purification systems. However, experts advise the use of reverse osmosis systems only where TDS levels are above 500 mg per litre. In India, Gujarat and parts of Uttar Pradesh are known to have water with high levels of salts and solids. reverse osmosis systems would be useful in such locations. 
 
The major vendors of reverse osmosis water purifiers are currently Eureka Forbes and Delhi based Kent reverse osmosis Systems. Kent Mineral reverse osmosis purifier combines UV and reverse osmosis methods to bring you water that is pure and retains essential natural minerals as well. Eureka Forbes’ Aquaguard Total reverse osmosis retails at around Rs. 14, 500. Whirlpool also offers an reverse osmosis purifier, Purafresh in three models, Deluxe, Elite and Platinum. The prices range from roughly Rs. 14,500 to Rs. 23,000.

An important point to remember while shopping for reverse osmosis water purifiers is to enquire about after sales service. reverse osmosis systems need servicing, thus poor service or the lack of it might adversely impact the functionality and efficacy of your water purification system.

The semi permeable membrane used in an reverse osmosis purifier deteriorates rapidly if it is of low quality. This is another factor that you need to look into while shopping for an reverse osmosis water purification system. Remember to select a brand that is covered by an adequate warranty agreement. Time taken to make relevant vendor and user enquiries should make your investment worthwhile.