Jim Riley asked:


Let’s face it, the water we drink is as important as the air we breath.

This is why I want to discuss why I don’t use the reverse osmosis water filter.

Water is essential for life! We can’t be without it. If we didn’t have water, we would parish!

That is why I have such a passion for finding the truth about how we can improve the quality of the water we drink and bathe in. Water is priceless. I want to try to educate you about water filters, and in particular, the reverse osmosis filter.

This system of water filtration was very popular at one time. People were so determined to make the water that they drank safe, that companies worked hard to meet those consumers needs.

Thus the advent of the “Reverse Osmosis Water Filter”. Another term you could use is water

distillation processor. The end result is distilled water.

Man went centuries drinking pure, fresh water from our lakes and streams. That is until industrialization, and common practices of farming which introduced chemicals, fertilizers and other bad things into our water systems. Man reaped the rewards of not only hydration, which is essential for life, but also took in much needed trace minerals like calcium, magnesium and potassium, which our bodies need naturally. Nowhere in history or science have we read about our bodies need for distilled water.

Distilled water even has a different PH than regular water, making is slightly acidic. Studies show that if we consume an acidic based substance, we produce more hydrogen in our bodies. This results in pulling minerals from our bones and teeth to produce bycarbonate to neutralize the acid.This compounded with the affect of drinking already de-mineralized water can make this a serious situation.

Nowhere on earth do we find naturally distilled water. Why do you think we should drink it on a regular basis? I know my answer to the question.

I already mentioned there are numerous toxic chemicals, fertilizers and other bad things found in our water supplies. For our health, we do need to try to filter them out and make our drinking water safer. I did a lot of research on the different water filter systems and concluded that there aren’t any really bad systems, other than the before mentioned product.

Some do nothing more than take out chlorine, rust and lead, making the water more pleasant to drink. But we need to do more than that. We need a system that will do that, plus remove the toxic substances that threaten our health every day. They also need to leave behind the trace minerals that our bodies need to function on a daily basis. Multistage water filtration systems seem to perform the best in all cases.

In conclusion, you don’t need to spend the most to get a good system. There are many choices, and many comparisons available to the consumer via the internet. Take advantage of that. Be educated, but if you are like me, steer away from the “Reverse Osmosis Water Filter.



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Renee Smallwood asked:


A Reverse Osmosis filter is designed to remove the minerals in water.  You might think drinking water that is truly “pure” is the most healthful water you can drink.  But, if that were true, then why is there no place on earth where water without minerals can be found?  Even the most remote and unpolluted mountain springs have natural occurring minerals.  It is these mineral that give water its taste.  More important than taste, is the healthful benefits these minerals have for our bodies.

In science and industry there is a need for mineral free water.  For example, the photo processing and printing industries require the use of a reverse osmosis filter to remove inorganic solids (minerals).  This filter process is also used to desalinate sea water into fresh water.  Once the salt is removed, then the water must be stabilized, to make the water less acidic and prevent the leaching of unwanted elements during transportation to the final users.

If you are looking into a reverse osmosis water filter for your home, you probably have discovered that it is not just a simple matter of pushing the water through and getting pure water on the other side.  That is because the reverse osmosis filter itself does not remove most of the contaminants we need taken out.  It only removes the dissolved minerals, like calcium and magnesium.  There is a pretreatment with carbon based filters and another needed after.  These are the filters that remove the actual pollutants, not the reverse osmosis filter.

Water without minerals is acidic in pH.  When humans consume acidic foods and beverages, the body pulls minerals from our teeth and bones to neutralize the acid.  It has been shown in scientific studies, that when our body fluids become more acid than alkaline, the production of free radicals increases.  These free radicals cause a increased risk for cancer.  It is interesting, that in the parts of the world where people live the longest, most healthful lives, are areas that have the most alkaline water with the highest mineral content.  Zoltan P. Rona, MD is a past President of the Canadian Holistic Medical Association.  In one of his articles he states  “The ideal water for the human body should be slightly alkaline and this requires the presence of minerals like calcium and magnesium.”   

Twenty years ago, using a reverse osmosis water filter in your home may have been a good idea.  It was a case of using what was available.  Today, with the advances in filtration technology and a better understanding of what healthful water should contain, choosing a reverse osmosis filter just does not make sense.  So in your search for “pure” drinking water, remember that trace minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium are an essential part of that water.



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Ray Hamilton asked:


What if I told you straight off the bat that GE reverse osmosis water systems could potentially leave you with unhealthy water? Surely not I hear you say! Unfortunately that is one of the many downsides of this product.

 The GE reverse osmosis water system is based on old technology which works by forcing water under pressure through a very fine membrane. This removes those vital minerals and still doesn’t get rid of all the contaminants like the equivalent multi-stage water filter systems do.

 Now it’s fair to say that any system is better than none and GE reverse osmosis filters do filter out some harmful substances, but they also can’t get rid of all of them, even chlorine, and vitally important is the fact they remove essential minerals like calcium and magnesium.

We need these minerals for our health and well-being. A study by the World Health Organization concluded that drinking water should contain these essential minerals otherwise it can have long term health repercussions.

Another problem is the amount of water the GE reverse osmosis filters discard. For every gallon of water they produce, around 2 – 3 gallons are lost. That’s a huge amount of wastage, especially in todays more enlightened and water conscious world.

From my research I have found an overwhelming number of complaints about the noise the GE reverse osmosis water system makes. It is driving some people round the bend and one guy took it out and left it on his porch! This is quite an important consideration as they are generally mounted these days under your kitchen sink. No more quite dinners!

With today’s technology there are far superior, cost effective alternatives to the GE reverse osmosis water products out there. Look for a water filter system that has a multi-stage activated carbon filter for starters. The first stage removes around 99% of all contaminants (but not the minerals), while the second stage restores the ph balance ensuring the water is not acidic.

The maintenance of these is simple, and changing filters is a breeze, even on a whole house system, where you only change the filters every six months.

I realize it can be confusing with so many systems out there, but remember this is your family’s health were talking about here. So while you are right in seeking out a suitable filtration system, as today’s tap water is proven to be contaminated, it is essential you stay away from systems like the GE reverse osmosis filters.

So some food for thought there and I hope I have helped answer some of the questions you may have had, especially on the GE reverse osmosis water product, and that now you can make a more informed choice.

If you would like to learn more about the systems I recommend to use and which to avoid, visit my website today.



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Derek Reeve asked:


If you are using reverse osmosis filters at home, or if you are someone who is looking to buy a good water purifier you need to acquaint yourself with the following facts. The information will also help you choose the right kind of water purifier for your home.

 Reverse osmosis filters, contrary to what many people think, are not the best water purifiers in the market today. This has got nothing to do with the units per se, but the technology that they are based on. Reverse osmosis has three inherent faults that many people overlook when deciding on a water purifier.

 1. A typical reverse osmosis unit consists of a semi permeable membrane which allows only water molecules to pass through it. It blocks any substance that is larger than the water molecule in size. However, some contaminants like herbicides are smaller than water molecules in size and they pass through the semi permeable membrane. As a result, the water obtained from reverse osmosis filters are not always as pure as it might be.

 2. Reverse osmosis tends to destroy the essential minerals present naturally in water. These minerals, as the name suggests, are very essential for your body. The water that you obtain from reverse osmosis water filters is usually demineralized. By drinking this kind of water regularly could lead to a number of health problems like heartburn, acidity, acid reflux, and more.

 3. An RO unit wastes a lot of water. For every four gallons of water, you get one gallon of pure water. The rest is simply wasted in the process. It is wrong from both a financial and an environmental point of view to waste such large amounts of water every day.

 Above all, a typical RO unit will cost you around $10,000. Can you afford to spend such an amount on a below average water purifier? You will also end up spending a considerable amount of money on reverse osmosis water filters, the end result is that the water you get is neither pure nor healthy to drink. Is there a better alternative?

 The solution is simple. Look for a water purifier based on ion exchange and active carbon block filtration. This combination is considered the best among water purification technologies available today.

 It costs less than a typical RO unit and is many times more effective. This method will give you pure water and it does not destroy the essential minerals present in water. The end result is the water you get is healthy, pure, and tasty to drink.

 Now know what to do. Say no to reverse osmosis filters today and get yourself a good water purifier that actually works and is worth the money you pay.



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Laurel Tevolitz asked:


It’s unbelievable that there are so many water filter systems available on the market today. Their basic function is to clean tap water and provide contaminant free, purity. As I began investigating, I started with a reverse osmosis water filter and was looking to see how it worked and if there were any positives/negatives before deciding how I felt about purchasing one.

Reverse Osmosis works by reversing water through a filter system that eliminates sediment and then uses a membrane that is semi-permeable to complete the filtering process. After that, a carbon filter is utilized and then distributed through a faucet as “purified tap”. This unit can typically be installed by a reputable plumber and be used to purify water anywhere in the home. However, after looking into some of the negatives of a reverse osmosis filter, I wasn’t too impressed with the results.

This type of system is very efficient at eliminating toxic materials such as rust, lead, parasites, salt, sediments and sulfates. Unfortunately, some of the negatives I discovered were:



Only partial removal of viruses and bacteria that would require another type of water purification system to back it up. This doesn’t seem to be a high priority for this type of filter process.

It removes too many minerals that the body desires for good functioning, health and longevity. Minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium if eliminated force the body to draw from that which is stored in teeth and bones. Normally, this is caused by the high acid, low pH level of the water.

It takes away water’s good taste.

It wastes three to four gallons of water for each one gallon it attempts to purify.

As alkaline turns to highly acid water, it not only causes minerals to again be pulled from teeth and bones, but has also been known in some cases to increase the possibility of developing cancer since more free radicals are produced from this occurrence.

It takes a few hours to install and may require a professional plumber.



So after considering all the negatives about reverse osmosis water filters, I found after extensive research that a multi-stage filter which employs essential and vital purification processes such as ion exchange, sub-micron and carbon filtration would be more beneficial in removing all traces of contaminants. These included eliminating toxins such as VOCs (volatile organic chemicals) like pesticides and herbicides, chlorine, lead and other harmful materials, while it ensured securing the valuable minerals that were critical to the body and contributed to better health.

Now that you are armed with this information, instead of spending valuable time and money on a filtration system that will not do everything you need it to plus bring negative effects to your life, it would be wise to consider one that does, but also adds to your longevity.



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David Karlson asked:


 

Let me tell you right off the bat, GE reverse osmosis filters are not the best choice for providing your home with safe drinking water. These types of filters just do not do anything to improve the quality or the taste of your drinking water.

The original reverse osmosis system was designed to specifically remove minerals, salt and other larger pieces of debris or sediment. GE reverse osmosis water systems are designed in the same manner. So, think about that. Why would you want a water purification system to remove the minerals from your drinking water?

GE reverse osmosis filters not only remove minerals, they do not remove chlorine. In fact, these systems regardless of who manufactures them are a poor choice for a home water purification system.

In many cases, chlorine is added to the water at water treatment facilities to disinfect the water and to protect the filter membrane in the reverse osmosis systems at water treatment plants.

Industries prefer GE reverse osmosis water systems because they remove the minerals. As homeowners that drink the water, we do not want the minerals removed. Drinking water should be one of the best sources of natural minerals.

Now, let us point out that instead of using GE reverse osmosis filters, people should use a filtering system that uses a carbon activated filter. A carbon filter will improve the quality of your drinking water and the taste of it as well.

If you want the best water purification system at home then choose one that features a carbon filter with ion exchange and a micron filter. This added filter helps remove any contaminants that were missed at the water treatment facility.

You may here that GE reverse osmosis water filters are great for home use. This would be the case if it were the only option out there for purifying your drinking water. Everyone wants his or her family to be healthy. Providing the best drinking water possible is important to your families overall good health.

So there you have it, what type of water purification system do you want for family? Do you want a GE reverse osmosis water filtration system that removes the minerals and does not remove the chlorine? Alternatively, do you want a system that removes the chemicals and does not remove the minerals such as a carbon filter system? It is your choice.



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Jim Riley asked:


Tell me, does this describe you? You are health conscious. You are concerned about what you eat, and what you drink. The quality of your water is important to you and you have even considered purchasing one of those expensive reverse osmosis water filters.

But you haven’t pulled the trigger yet. There are so many filters out there to choose from. Some say reverse osmosis water filters are overkill. Others say they are the best thing since sliced white bread?

Who do you believe?

You can do your own painstaking research. There are many articles written on the subject, like this one.

In this article, I have tried make your decision a little easier. An educated decision is always the best.

There are many types of water filters out there. Carbon filters, duel stage filters, reverse osmosis filters, whole house filters. The list goes on and on. There is one common factor in all of them.

They all attempt to remove chemicals, residue, lead, phosphates and a plethora of other substances found in our water supply.

It is noted that there are over 2100 known cancer causing chemicals that can be found in our water supplies. That alone has been enough to create a stir amongst the educated consumer, that worries about the water their families are consuming every day. Then throw in a cocktail of parasites, bacteria, lead, and phosphates, and we can see the role a good water purification system can play in our daily lives.

In my research, I tried to find the products that give you the most bang for your buck. The simple pitcher type carbon filters do a good job of removing sediment, chlorine and even lead from our water.

This is a good start, but these simple systems really only make the water taste better. They even cost more per gallon to use than those systems that would be considered middle of the road in price.

$130-150.00 can buy you a nice duel stage water filtration system that will remove chemicals, lead, bacteria , and other substances that threaten our drinking water supply. This uses a carbon filter and sub-micron filtration that gives you great tasting water, that you can feel good about your family consuming.

Forget about bottled water. This is nothing more than an overpriced convenience. At the cost of more per gallon than gas, it isn’t the greatest choice. There isn’t even any regulation on the quality of the water that is bottled.

Reverse Osmosis Filters can cost you $700 or more to purchase. The end result is distilled water.

The reverse osmosis filter was developed 50 years ago to be used in industry. Their development wasn’t intended to provide safe drinking water for our use. But when the clean water revolution hit, some saw an opportunity to offer this product as a means of getting clean pure drinking water.

What they failed to tell you is not only is it not efficient in removing alot of the chemicals and other bad things in our drinking water. But it removes all of the trace minerals that our bodies need to function properly. Demineralized water is great for industrial use and for use in irons for pressing our clothes.

But drinking demineralized, distilled water produced by the expensive reverse osmosis filters, can actually harm our bodies over time. From a scientific standpoint, this water is actually higher in PH levels than regular water. This means that is is slightly acidic. Consuming this can actually pull minerals from our bodies to try to balance the unstable PH levels that are caused by it’s consumption.

Is this what we want?

In conclusion, I could write pages and pages supporting this water system or that. What it boils down to is you will have to make the final decision. I hope the information I have given you will help you make a better more educated decision.



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Renee Smallwood asked:


When reverse osmosis water filters were first developed in the late fifties, it made some sense to apply that technology in individual homes.  Now, however, we need to do everything we can to conserve water. And reverse osmosis filters waste most of the water put through the system.  Even the very best systems flush four gallons of water for every one gallon of drinking water produced.  Why would anyone pay to flush water down the drain?

In 1959 researchers at UCLA were the first to show that the process of reverse osmosis  could be used  for the removal of salt to obtain pure water. There was a big push for this technology during the Kennedy years.  The slogan was “to to the moon and make the desert bloom”.  With the support of government, the breakthrough came with the production of reverse osmosis water filters with a membrane made from cellulose acetate polymer.

The next step was to put these new reverse osmosis water filters into practice.  The town of Coalinga in California was chosen for the first commercial plant, where the improvements to the process continued.  The plant began operations in 1965, producing 6,000 gallons per day from the local brackish groundwater.  This was a great improvement for the residents, as the drinking water had to be trucked in before the plant was built.  Ocean water is about ten times saltier than brackish groundwater.  A plant was next built in La Jolla to work out the problems of converting sea water into fresh water.

The discovery of reverse osmosis filters has impacted the entire world.  In the Middle East and North Africa desalination plants produce trillions of gallons of purified water each day.  The process has also been applied to in home demineralization.

There are two types of membranes for household reverse osmosis water filters.  They are the Cellulose Triacetate(CTA) membrane and the Thin Film Composite (TFC) membrane.  When deciding which to use, you must consider the filtration ability and the tolerance to chlorine.  The CTA membrane tolerates chlorine better, but only rejects 93% of contaminants. The TFC/TFM membranes reject 98% of the contaminants, but it can only be used with chlorine free water.  Most public water supplies are chlorinated.  The membrane for the reverse osmosis filters can be made in a number of different geometric configurations.  Water pressure forces the water molecules through the membrane leaving the contaminants behind.  These, now more concentrated, contaminants are flushed down the drain.

The average reverse osmosis system is a unit consisting of a pre-filter to remove chlorine and sediment, the reverse osmosis membrane, a storage tank, and an activated-carbon post filter.

Better membranes continue to be researched for desalination, as well as membranes for water reclamation and hazardous waste remediation systems.  There is definitely a need for this technology.

But for individual home systems a better choice would be system that does not waste any water at all.  Advances in water filtration technology have made the use of reverse osmosis water filters obsolete.  Do your research, there are much more economical and earth friendly choices.



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Larry L. Taylor asked:


The GE reverse osmosis water filter may be said to “bring good things to living”, but that’s just marketing.  GE reverse osmosis filters are expensive to replace and their lifespan is much shorter than other better systems.

Currently, the manufacturer’s suggested retail price for a GE reverse osmosis replacement filter is $799.99.  Of course, through different outlets, you may be able to get a better price than that, but for comparison’s sake it’s a starting point.

All RO systems are expensive to use and maintain.  GE reverse osmosis filters are no different.  And, depending on where you live, it may be an unnecessary expense.

Alone, RO does not purify.  Additional steps must be used to guarantee purity.

 Depending on the quality of your source, you might need to disinfect, since the GE reverse osmosis water treatment does not remove bacterial contaminants or anything that is lighter, dissolved in or molecularly smaller than the liquid itself.

The system includes GE reverse osmosis filters and a carbon filtration step.  That’s an improvement over most RO units.  Carbon removes many chemical contaminants.  Multi-media blocks remove even more, but that is not included with General Electric’s latest product.

If you have access to public treatment, you own a well or a spring, you probably do not need GE reverse osmosis filters.  If your well is brackish, then the step is needed.  But, springs and publicly treated supplies need some filtration, just not RO.

You need to remember that GE reverse osmosis water will be de-mineralized.  Studies have shown that drinking de-mineralized on a regular basis is bad for your digestive health and could cause nutritional deficiencies.  If you have hard-water, a better choice is ion exchange to “soften” it. 

If you must use GE reverse osmosis filters, then you must have a re-mineralization step.  That’s an expensive step.  It is mostly used in desalinization plants.

For this purpose, the new mineral revitalization system would be a better choice, since it includes numerous steps including RO.  Of course, it is quite expensive, but if your source requires it, that’s really your only choice.

The prices of GE reverse osmosis water filtration systems vary from dealer to dealer.  It is not available, at this time, direct from the manufacturer, so of course you are paying dealer mark-up.  Depending on where you go, you may be able to negotiate a better price, but you will pay between five and ten thousand dollars for the product.

You also have to remember to factor in the cost of use.  Additional electricity is required.  Installation requires a plumber and typically an electrician.  At the rates they charge, that could be very expensive.  From an environmental standpoint GE reverse osmosis filters are wasteful, both because of the need for electric and because of wastewater created.

The bottom line is that for most of us GE reverse osmosis water will not bring good things to our lives.  Regardless of what the commercials say. 

 



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Laurel Tevolitz asked:


Ever wondered how reverse osmosis water filters work? More importantly, might you be curious as to how they perform as opposed to other types of water filtration systems?

After much investigation, my personal choice for a home filtration system was clearly one that incorporated a multi-stage type of setup. This type of water system entailed three types of purity steps: carbon, sub-micron filtering and ion exchange. You might disagree, but hear me out on this. I was also skeptical at first however I really wanted to be sure I was choosing the right type of device for my home. I did some extensive inquiring and consideration before I came to this conclusion.

Reverse osmosis filters require the use of pressure to forcibly push water through a semi-permeable membrane (the filter) that allows the water to become less concentrated in toxins. This is ultimately the goal. The simple pressure of household water flowing through the pipes is enough to accomplish this task. Depending on what type of water your treatment facility produces would determine the type of membrane you should use in it. There are several types. As the water passes through the filter, most toxins and bacteria are removed. Unfortunately, this type of unit is only able to remove approximately 85% of contained solids from the water it filters. Given this fact, many types of toxins and bacteria cannot be removed purely with this type of filter; it usually needs to be paired up with other types of water treatment elements to be wholly effective.

Some of the other drawbacks of this type of system where that these units were so overly effective in drawing minerals from the filtered water, that it rendered it unpleasant tasting and somewhat “aggressive” or corrosive. What actually did this mean? Well, if water like this could destroy the pipes in your house, affecting the actual performance level of the unit itself, can you imagine what it could do to your body aside from perhaps dissolving other healthy minerals it already has in it?

When water has a lack of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, the body is placed in a state of acidosis. Why is this bad? Well, if your body becomes too acidic, it negatively affects the function of heart, blood, brain, nerve, muscle, bone, skin and hair cells. Frankly I was shocked to learn that unless the body is slightly alkaline in nature, this leaves it open to several health concerns. As acids build up in organs, disease infests the body from the inside out by breeding bacteria, parasites and other toxins that feed off tissues and organs.

Additionally, these water filters flush almost 8-10 gallons of water down the drain for every gallon that is filtered. It’s also a relatively expensive unit overall to buy and maintain.

Make no mistake about it. Reverse osmosis filters are far inferior to multi-stage filtration systems in terms of guaranteeing good health and longevity. Now that you are armed with this information, it’s clear what type of filtration system you should be looking into.



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