Have you been trying to understand which water purifier you want to bring home? Unfortunately, the confusion you are facing is quite common. Of all the different types of water purifiers, Reverse Osmosis (RO) water purifiers and Ultraviolet (UV) water purifiers are quite popular as these two technologies filter drinking water effectively.
It has been observed that using RO technology and UV technology in water purification is highly effective in removing bacteria, protozoa, and viruses from drinking water. And therefore, to understand which water purifier you should choose, know the technology behind both and which one you can choose.
Reverse Osmosis is a membrane separation technology used to purify water efficiently and cost-effectively. In reverse osmosis, water passes through a semipermeable membrane that can purify water and eliminate water contamination caused by microbes and chemicals such as lead, arsenic, fluoride, nitrate, radium, phosphorus, and fluoride. [1]
Regarding water purification treatments, ultraviolet technology has been used to disinfect water since it has strong germicidal properties that inactivate bacteria and germs. UV also has sufficient energy or ionising radiation to disrupt chemical bonds and eliminate microbes. UV disinfects water contaminated with viruses and bacteria and can also destroy protozoa. [2]
It is good to understand the source of water to choose the technology. It is necessary to understand the total dissolved solids in the water for choosing a water purifier. The basic parameters can help us to select the technology efficiently.
When it comes to the removal of chemicals, these purifiers use the reverse osmosis process to remove common contaminants such as aqueous salts and also reduce traces of arsenic, fluoride, phosphorus, and others. [1]
As we can see above, using RO water purifiers can eliminate chemical contaminants from the water, which cause hardness in the water. In addition, the TDS (total dissolved solids) present in water can be responsible for producing hard water, which can be removed with an RO water purifier.
The domestic water supply coming from the municipal corporation is generally pre-treated water that will only need purification before consumption. In such cases, a UV water purifier can effectively destroy any microbial residue in the water.
The Ultra-Violet in UV water purifier eliminates dangerous bacteria from the water. This is a safer method when compared to the chemical purification of water, such as chlorination. Therefore, UV water purifiers do not use any chemicals to purify the water.
If you are concerned that the water supply you receive at home may be contaminated with microbes, a UV water purifier can be an optimal solution for you.
The choice between an RO or UV water purifier will depend on the TDS level and the quality of the water supply. Using the above points, you can find out which type of water purifier will be suitable for your needs.
No matter what type of water purifier you need, you can always choose from
A. O. Smith’s range of RO water purifiers or UV water purifiers, where the former is equipped with a mineral filter that retains these essential minerals to your pure drinking water. [3]
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