With the ever-rising concern of water pollution in our nation, it’s no wonder Springfield, Mo. residents and surrounding towns in Mid-Missouri, SW Missouri and NW Arkansas are turning toward water purification systems – be they reverse osmosis water systems, UV water systems and/or water softeners. That being said, many customers don’t know the difference between a water purification system, such as reverse osmosis or a UV water treatment system, and a water softener. In an attempt to support those living in the Ozarks in making an educated decision, we’ve written this article for you!
Pros and Cons of Reverse Osmosis Water Systems
What: Reverse osmosis, or RO for short, is a water purification technology that uses a partially permeable membrane to remove ions, unwanted molecules and other particles from water. This technology was formulated to desalinate seawater in the 1950’s by the U.S. government.
PROS
- Cost-effective
A reverse osmosis water system produces clean water for pennies per gallon.
- Convenient
A reverse osmosis water system is connected straight through your kitchen tap.
- Clean
An RO system removes 95-99% of total dissolved solids, chlorine, and even pharmaceuticals and bacteria.
- Taste improvement in food
Many people have discovered that using a reverse osmosis water system enhances the taste of their foods and recipes. This is why many restaurants use RO water systems.
CONS
- Maintenance
For RO water systems, you will need to change out the filter periodically. They will need to be cleaned and sterilized once per year as well.
- Clogging
Because of the membrane in a reverse osmosis system, the unit can become clogged. One option many people invest in is a pre-filter to protect the unit. Another option would be to pair it was a water softener system.
- Slow Water
Due to the semi-permeable membrane, a reverse osmosis system uses a household’s water pressure. While it is slow to come out
Pros and Cons of UV Water Systems
What: Ultraviolet water treatment is a purification system which removes 99% of waterborne microorganisms. In 1910, the first UV drinking water system opened in Marseille, France.
PROS
- Chemical Free
UV water treatment systems don’t use any chemicals or additives. It is a UV light which kills bacteria.
- Effective
It kills 99.99% of disease-causing microbes.
- No Taste or Odor
Because it is a UV light, a UV water system does not have any taste or odor.
- Low Maintenance
Aside from changing the UV bulb annually, there is no other maintenance needed.
- Low Energy
It uses the same energy as a 60-watt light bulb.
CONS
- It Doesn’t Eliminate Contaminants
UV water systems only destroy disease-causing microbes but has no effect on chlorine, salts, manmade contaminants and heavy metals.
- It Doesn’t Work in Murky Water
If you have a murky well, you may need to send it through another filter before having it go through your UV water system.
Pros and Cons of Water Softeners
What: Water softening is a water treatment process whereby calcium, magnesium, and other certain metals are removed from water. It is unknown when the first water softener was really created – some sources go back to ancient Rome while others state it was much more recent.
PROS
- Easy on Plumbing Systems
Hard water can coat the surfaces of pipes and appliances causing mineral build-up (also known as scale). This can strict water flow whereby a water softening system takes mineral deposits out of your water.
- Save Money on Soaps and Detergents
A water softening system means you can use less soaps detergents, shampoos, conditioners and even dishwasher soap because it goes a longer way.
- Prolongs the Life of Your Appliances
Because water softening systems remove metals and calcium, you won’t have build-up on your shower heads and faucets, and your dishwasher, washing machine and dryer will last longer as well.
- Less Energy Usage
Hard water takes make energy and takes longer to heat up than soft water.
CONS
- Environmental Downside
Water softeners means discharging a large amount of sodium into the sewer line making it more difficult to clean and recycle the water. Some water softening systems waste gallons of water per year due to backwashing filtration.
- Taste
Some people notice their water tastes saltier than regular water. This is due to the sodium in the water softening systems.
These are the pros and cons of reverse osmosis water systems, UV water purification systems and water softening systems. We hope this helps when you consider your needs are as a business or homeowner.
About Aquasani
Aquasani is an authorized dealer for Rainsoft, WaterLogic, & JavaSmart. Based in Springfield, Mo., Aquasani services areas in the Ozarks including Jefferson City, Springfield, Mo., Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic, Joplin, Branson and even Harrison, Arkansas, and Bentonville. In essence, we service Mid-Missouri, Southwest Missouri, and Northwest Arkansas, and have been servicing these areas since 2006. We offer home water softener systems, drinking water filtration systems, whole house air cleaner systems, problem-solving water filtration systems and we also offer a coffee service to businesses in these above-mentioned areas as well.
The coffee service business is simple: an office purchases coffee from us, and we provide the coffee maker/dispenser, deliver the coffee to the office as often as needed, and we even clean the coffee makers monthly.
We specialize in water filtration for both commercial businesses and residential homes. If that isn’t enough, we provide free trials for our coffee and water cooler services. If you would like a free estimate, schedule an appointment with us by calling (417) 881-4000 and one of our Aquasani teammates will sort you out!
