Reverse Osmosis Eliminates Bacteria and Viruses from Water

May 11th, 2020 by Nick Koz

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We all want clean drinking water, but unfortunately, municipal and private water systems are limited in their ability to provide it. On any given day, tap water is filled with a variety of different contaminants deemed acceptable by industry standards that make water less-harmful. However the quality of water varies based on environmental factors. We see this in towns that have intermittent boil orders or chronic contaminants like lead in Flint, MI. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, people are becoming more concerned about the possibility of the coronavirus showing up in their water source. This is where filtration systems like reverse osmosis can ease fears because they eliminate bacteria and viruses from water.

COVID-19 Not in Tap Water

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), COVID-19 has not been detected in any drinking water sources. They also say that the risk of this happening in the future is low. Instead, they are currently focused on ensuring that they can continue to provide clean drinking water to all households in spite of stay-at-home orders. Those who work in water utility districts are considered essential employees, so work is carried out in a relatively typical manner compared to non-essential businesses.

How Reverse Osmosis Systems Work

In a reverse osmosis system, water is pushed through a membrane that acts as a very effective filter. It filters objects down to the size of 0.0001 microns. To give you an idea of how small that is, E.Coli is 1 to 2 microns long and about 1 micron wide. COVID-19 is 0.125 microns wide. This means that it cannot penetrate the membrane, and your reverse osmosis tap water will not contain COVID-19 in the unlikely event of contamination. Other contaminants it will effectively remove include Giardia, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, and Norovirus.

The reverse osmosis system will also filter non-viral and non-bacterial contaminants. Lead, arsenic, copper, cryptosporidium, fluoride, and chromium will additionally be filtered. There are acceptable levels of each of these particles in all municipal water sources, but there won’t be any in your drinking water with a reverse osmosis water filtration system.

Where do the Contaminants Go?

In a reverse osmosis water system, contaminants are diverted from your faucet and sent to your sewage system. This leaves your drinking water odorless, clear, and free from microscopic contaminants that could result in or exacerbate poor health conditions. They are easy to maintain and easy to have installed, and you can have peace of mind knowing that your primary water source is a healthy water source.