Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Systems

A reverse osmosis (RO) system sits under your kitchen sink and gives you filtered drinking and cooking water from its own faucet. It removes most dissolved minerals and sodium and reduces many of the items listed in water quality reports, so you can stop buying and hauling bottled water.

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What an RO system reduces

• Dissolved minerals and the mineral taste of hard water
• Sodium, including the small amount a water softener adds
• Chlorine and chloramine taste, through its carbon stages
• Items like nitrate, arsenic, lead and hexavalent chromium. Burbank's latest report, for example, lists hexavalent chromium and nitrate below legal limits.

How much of each it removes depends on the system, and we'll show you what the unit we install is rated for.

How reverse osmosis works

Water goes through a sediment filter and a carbon filter, then through a very fine membrane that lets water through and holds back most dissolved solids. Clean water collects in a small storage tank, or goes straight to the faucet on tankless RO units, and the rest rinses the membrane and goes down the drain. A final filter polishes the taste. Some systems add minerals back for taste.

What we install

The system goes under the kitchen sink with its own faucet on the counter. If your sink doesn't have a spare hole, we can add one. We can also run a line to your refrigerator's water dispenser and ice maker.

Upkeep

The prefilters are changed about once a year and the membrane every few years, depending on your water. We'll give you the schedule and cost up front, and we offer annual service plans.

Common questions

Does reverse osmosis waste water?

Some water goes to the drain to keep the membrane clean. Newer systems send much less than older ones, and softened water going into the RO helps the membrane last longer. We'll show you the ratio for the unit you choose.

Should I get RO or a whole-house filter?

They do different jobs. A whole-house carbon filter handles taste and smell at every tap and shower. RO makes drinking water at one faucet. Many homes have both.

Can it connect to my refrigerator?

Yes, in most kitchens we can run a line from the RO system to the fridge for filtered water and ice.

Do I need a softener with RO?

Not required, but in very hard water areas like Burbank, Beverly Hills and Glendale, a softener protects the rest of your plumbing and helps the RO membrane last.

How much does an RO system cost?

An RO system on its own is one of our smaller installs. Our water checker shows typical installed ranges, and we confirm your price after a free water test.

Other water treatment options

Serving the San Fernando Valley, Burbank, Glendale, the Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Calabasas and Santa Clarita. See service areas.