How reverse osmosis works—and how to choose the right system for you
Pure, clean water can do wonders for our health. After all, your body is made up of 72% water. Yet so much of the drinking water available to us is contaminated with a range of pollutants — some added intentionally (like fluoride or chlorine) and many more from runoff and unintended cross-contamination like heavy metals, herbicides, pharmaceuticals, arsenic, and much more.
And while we may not think about water contamination every time we take a sip of water, they’re proven to affect our health. According to the EPA, contaminated water can cause a wide range of issues, including gastrointestinal illnesses, nervous system disorders, or reproductive damage, as well as chronic diseases such as cancer. When you consider that this is not the only source of toxicity in your life, but one of many (re: air pollutants, heavy metals in seafood, hormones in meat, etc) you can see why it’s critical to reduce exposure as much as possible. The water you drink daily is a great place to start.
Finding the right water filtration system
As you’ve probably noticed if you’ve started exploring at all, there are a wide range of water filters on the market. Some are certainly more effective than others, but many are built with different objectives — so knowing what’s most important to you when considering what you want to filter out of your water, and the process by which you do it. Brondell offers a range of water filtration options, and among our most popular are our reverse osmosis filtrations system, because of both their efficiency and effectiveness.
While there’s no wrong answer, it’s highly recommended to choose a filtration system that is Water Quality Association (WQA) certified. This ensures that it has passed the WQA’s national standards for proven efficacy and safety.
What is reverse osmosis?
Reverse Osmosis water filtration removes the vast majority of contaminants from water by pressurizing it and pushing through a semipermeable membrane that separates high-concentration, larger contaminants from the rest of the water.
Why choose reverse osmosis over other options?
Reverse osmosis filtration is widely considered the most effective in terms of removing a wide range of contaminants. Most water filtration systems, such as those that use carbon technology, can effectively filter out odors, turbidity, organic compounds, chlorine, and bacteria. Reverse osmosis filtration systems remove these contaminants, as well as a variety that other concerns that most filters either miss or only partially address. This list includes contaminants like viruses, arsenic, fluoride, and dissolved solids, to name a few.
Environmental impact of water filters: excessive water waste
An important component of water filtration to consider — in terms of cost and utility — is water waste. Through the filtration process, some amount of water is inevitably wasted, but how much is important.
In fact, water filtration often comes at a high cost: most reverse osmosis systems waste as much as 20 gallons of water just to produce 1 gallon of filtered drinking water. This can significantly impact both water waste and, by extension, your water bill. If you live in an area where water shortages are already an issue, this becomes even more of a concern.
Even the best in-home reverse osmosis water filter can waste 4 gallons of water for every 1 gallon of filtered drinking water. That means 75% of the water your home uses is going straight down the drain — and until recently, that was your best case scenario.
At Brondell, we’re passionate about clean drinking water. And we’re also passionate about solutions that work. That’s why we created RO systems that offer more efficiency with the same performance you’d expect.
Meet Capella: one of the safest, most efficient reverse osmosis water filtration systems on the market
The new Capella RC250 offers a better solution— one of the most efficient reverse osmosis systems on the market.
20X more efficient:
The Capella RC250 only requires 1 gallon of water waste for every 1 gallon of filtered drinking water. This makes the RC250 up to 20X more efficient than other RO systems.
Intelligent water-saving technology:
Three-stage filtration includes a specialized eco-efficient reverse osmosis filter membrane that presses water through a wider surface area, and it’s patented structure produces a higher recovery rate and the same filtration performance.
Longer filter life:
The primary filter also lasts for an average of 24 months or two years, which means you’re going through fewer filters, with less maintenance and (of course!) cost.
We’ve been able to significantly reduce water waste, making it by far the best option out there — and the most economical and environmentally-friendly, too. (As with all of our products, Capella is also WQA certified and meets national standards in safety.)
How the filtration process works:
Stage 1 Pre-Filter - Activated Carbon Plus
The “pre-filter” uses activated carbon to reduce chlorine and particulates, such as sand and rust — it also protects and improves performance of the E2RO Membrane to ensure longer-lasting performance.
Filter life: 6 months
*note: because they have the same lifespan, stage 1 and stage 3 replacement filters are available as a bundle
Stage 2 Reverse Osmosis Filter - Eco-Efficient RO Membrane
The E2RO membrane (mentioned above) then reduces pollutants and impurities such as heavy metals, cysts, fluoride, and industrial chemicals. This primary filter will, on average, last about 2 years before it needs replacing.
Filter life: 24 months
Stage 3 Post-Filter - Carbon Block
Finally, the water passes through the post-filter, which further reduces any lingering contaminants such as chlorine and VOCs. It’s primary purpose is to improve the overall taste and odor of your drinking water.
Filter life: 6 months
*note: because they have the same lifespan, stage 1 and stage 3 replacement filters are available as a bundle
Meet the Circle: a better system for better water
The Circle is another fantastic option — this sleek, high-capacity reverse osmosis system contains patented water-saving technology that makes it up to 10 times more efficient than competitive conventional reverse osmosis water filter systems.
10x more efficient than other competitive systems
The Circle uses patented water-saving technology, including a unique flexible reservoir and patented Smart Valve that substantially reduces back-pressure, and in turn, unnecessary water waste. This technology makes it 10x more efficient than other competitive systems available at a similar price point.
Energy-saving technology
The Circle’s system integrates both the tanks and filters, eliminating the need for electricity and offering even further savings on daily usage.
Ultra-clean water with four stage filtration
Four separate filters work together to deliver maximum filtration. The Circle is WQA Gold Seal certified for trusted performance.
Space-saving, compact design
The Circle's surprisingly small footprint leaves plenty of space under your counter and is easy to install and maintain. The Circle is an elegant, efficient reverse osmosis system for the modern, sustainable home.
Simple, DIY installation
If you’re embarking on your first-ever water filter, it might sound a little intimidating — if only because you don’t know what you don’t know.
All Brondell water filters are DIY ready for an easy at home installation, and Brondell’s (RO) filtration systems, the Capella RC250 and the Circle, are no exception. You can check out our DIY installation videos or quickly hire a tasker from TaskRabbit if you’d rather have someone else handle it.