If you already have installed a water softener in your home, you may wonder if you should even consider installing a reverse osmosis system. There are a number of reasons why a water softener and reverse osmosis system can work in concert to deliver clean and pure water for your whole family. Here we’ll explore this topic a little further, so you can appreciate just how well these two systems can work together.

Different Purposes

The main reason to consider a reverse osmosis system to work with your water softener is that the two devices actually serve different purposes. Water softeners turn hard water soft by eliminating or reducing the magnesium and calcium content occurring in the water supply. Reverse osmosis filters out any other impurities in your water after it has passed through your water softener.

Protecting Your Reverse Osmosis System

A water softener can also help your R.O system to work more efficiently. Reverse osmosis works by passing water through a semi permeable membrane. Unfortunately, these membranes are fragile, so the particles of magnesium and calcium could clog up the membrane and cause damage. By passing your water through a water softener before it goes through reverse osmosis, it pre-treats the water helping the R.O system to work more efficiently and may even prolong the lifespan of your R.O membrane.

Saving Money

While a water softener eliminates hard water particles, it may not affect the aesthetic qualities of your water. Reverse osmosis can remove any contaminants that are causing a bad smell or poor odor. This means that you can enjoy clean, pure drinking water straight out of your tap, eliminating the need for bottled water. Many of us don’t like the taste of tap water, so bottled water seems the logical choice. Unfortunately, bottled water is not only costly, but it contributes to significant environmental issues. Approximately 50 billion plastic bottles are used in America each year, but only 23 percent are recycled. This means that nearly 38 billion plastic bottles end up in landfills. A reverse osmosis system means that you can fill a reusable water bottle and enjoy the great taste of bottled water while saving money and staying green.

A combination of water softener and R.O system may also save you money around your home. When your water is softened and treated, you’re likely to use fewer soaps and cleaning products. You may find that you use less dish detergent, laundry detergent and even soaps, shower gels, and shampoos, saving you even more money.

Simple Maintenance

Both reverse osmosis systems and water softeners are easy to maintain. R.O systems require membrane and filter changes regularly, and you will need to maintain the salt levels in your softener. It is also a good idea to have both systems checked periodically by an experienced water treatment specialist to ensure that they are operating at peak efficiency.

If you are still unsure whether a reverse osmosis system would complement your water softener and be beneficial for your home, you should speak to a professional water treatment specialist. Be sure to speak to a fully WQA certified technician who can guide you through the systems and devices that meet or possibly exceed the industry standards.

By EcoWater Systems.
EcoWater Systems of Nebraska is the largest water treatment company in the state and is a member of Water Quality Association.