A reverse osmosis filter, or RO water system, can be very valuable for removing water contaminants, including arsenic and dissolved solids. A reverse osmosis filtering system works by forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane. When something is referred to as semi-permeable, it simply means that some molecules can pass through the filter, while others cannot. This forces the cleaned, treated water through the membrane, while leaving the contaminants behind. Let's take a look at the stages involved in the process and whether RO is right for your family.

A sediment pre-filter is used to extract larger contaminants like dirt, sand, dust, grit and rust particles from the water when present. An optional secondary carbon pre-filter is used to extract most of the organic chemicals and chlorine; providing enhanced taste and reduction of odor while helping to protect the reverse osmosis membrane, which can be vulnerable to chlorine.

A RO membrane is normally made from a thin film composite. An optional carbon post-filter is used to capture any chemicals that are still present. This step also helps guard against any tainting which might occur within the device's water storage tank. Another option, an ultraviolet light (UV-C), is incorporated into the process to disinfect the water of any organisms that may have escaped the reverse osmosis membrane.

A RO water system tends to remove important trace minerals while filtering, leaving the water tasteless and strangely flat. More important, however, is that natural water contains trace minerals, and dissolved trace minerals in drinking water are actually a valuable source of calcium, magnesium and other nutrients. There are other, less expensive types of systems that can do a great job of purifying water for drinking purposes, and yet still leave the trace minerals intact.

A reverse osmosis water treatment system must occasionally be sanitized with chlorine, a chemical that is highly undesirable and which in many cases is filtered out by other systems. Though chlorine is nearly universally used by city and municipal water systems, it has been shown to cause cancer. Using it to clean the filter that you will use to filter out such things seems to be counter intuitive.

You may be wondering what contaminants an RO water system actually removes. According to manufacturers of the RO water system, the following contaminates are removed at least partially from household water supplies. These are aluminum, bacteria, ammonium, potassium, boron, silica, nickel, nitrate, phosphate, silver, sodium and zinc, to name a few. There is no water filtering system that can guarantee one hundred percent removal of all contaminants.

There are many water filters to choose from today, from the M7 PurTest Water Purifier to the Culligan FM-15A Faucet Filter. Reading water filter reviews will help you choose the best model for your needs.

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