Homemade Reverse Osmosis Filter

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Although tap water in the United States is generally considered safe to drink, it may contain various pollutants, such as chlorine, metals or different types of additives. One of the most common treatments for contaminated water is the homemade reverse osmosis system. The process works by applying water pressure to the reverse osmosis (RO) membrane to remove contaminants and produce purified water. This process isn't just for tap water. The do-it-yourself treatment can also be used to produce reverse osmosis maple syrup.

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Homemade Reverse Osmosis Filter
Image Credit: Tetiana Garkusha/iStock/GettyImages

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Benefits of RO Treatment

The major benefit of a DIY RO system is the ability to remove harmful bacteria and chemicals from the water. This includes fluoride, chlorine, manganese, lead, iron and so on. Although originally intended for removing mineral components from saline water – for example, making sea water drinkable – more people use the system for treating the water in their home. An additional benefit of the RO treatment is the possibility of producing real maple syrup. In this case, the process is actually reversed, meaning that rejected water is collected to discard clean water.

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Reverse Osmosis for Maple Sap

Any small maple producer can tell you the process of boiling sap into syrup is one that takes a considerable amount of time and effort. By using the reverse osmosis treatment for maple syrup, small producers can remove water from sap, boil down the reject stream and manufacture a thick amount of syrup. The reason why the maple RO treatment is different from the water filtration is that the reject water contains organics, such as sugar and minerals that are needed to produce the syrup, which causes the need for an inverse scenario.

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Homemade Reverse Osmosis System Components

The RO system works by cleansing the water coming through the faucet and can easily fit under your kitchen sink. It contains a few major parts that help deliver fresh tap water: A pre-filter used for removing impurities, a reverse osmosis module that contains the fine RO membrane, an activated carbon post-filter used to eliminate taste and odor from the purified water, a storage tank, as well as additional valves. The ultra-purified water that results from the process can then be stored in containers. Your RO system needs regular maintenance and frequent component replacements to reap the benefits of healthier drinking water. Depending on the water quality, the concentration of contaminants, as well as the efficiency of the membrane disposal, the amount of time will usually vary from one to three years.

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