Reverse osmosis is one of the most effective water purification technologies available.
It removes up to 99% of many dissolved contaminants, including lead, arsenic, fluoride, nitrates, PFAS (“forever chemicals”), heavy metals, microplastics, sediment, and many bacteria and viruses (see chart below).
Because it also removes naturally occurring minerals, we carefully restore a balanced mineral blend after purification at Hydro Balance to provide clean, refreshing water with a consistent taste.
A reverse osmosis (RO) membrane is designed to remove a very high percentage of dissolved contaminants by forcing water through a semipermeable membrane with microscopic pores (about 0.0001 microns).
Here’s what it commonly removes:
| Contaminant | Typical Removal |
|---|---|
| Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) | 95–99% |
| Lead | 95–99%+ |
| Arsenic | 90–99% |
| Fluoride | 90–95% |
| Nitrates | 80–95% |
| PFAS (“forever chemicals”) | High removal |
| Chromium (including Chromium VI) | 90–99% |
| Mercury | 95–99% |
| Copper | 95–99% |
| Cadmium | 95–99% |
| Barium | 95–99% |
| Radium | High removal |
| Sodium | 90–99% |
| Sulfates | 95–99% |
| Chloride | 90–99% |
| Microplastics | Effectively removed |
| Many bacteria | >99% (when the membrane is intact) |
| Many viruses | >99% (when the membrane is intact) |
| Sediment and particulate matter | Effectively removed |
It’s also important to know what an RO membrane doesn’t do by itself:
- Chlorine and chloramine: These are typically removed by activated carbon filters before the RO membrane, because chlorine can damage the membrane.
- Some volatile organic compounds (VOCs): Many are reduced, but a carbon filter is more effective for these.
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