Thursday, July 18, 2013

Premier Zero Waste Reverse Osmosis System

This system produces a good amount of very clean sediment-, mineraland chlorine-free water with fresh filters, quality is close to distilled water. At full pressure, you can get nearly 2 gallons from the tap in about 5 minutes. Run continuously (once the tank empties) ours squeezes out about a gallon per hour after that. With moderate use and a relatively clean supply, the carbon block and sediment filters will easily last a year. We use it for all beverages in our household of 4, including about 40 gallons per month for homebrewing. I haven't replaced the RO membrane in ours after 4 years, but will probably do so at the next filter change. So it's a pretty good value compared to buying bottled or spring water.

However, keep in mind that because it is "zero waste," the waste water will be pumped back into your house supply. This is great if you run the system and then run the clothes or dishwasher, but if you've emptied the tank on the RO and need hot water from your kitchen sink or bathroom shower, you'll get cold water first, then lukewarm after that. Likewise, your cold tap will give you warm water until all that waste water gets run through. This can be annoying.

Second, though you are saving water by reusing the filter byproduct, a water pump is a mandatory part of this system. It remains plugged in to a wall socket at all times to maintain positive pressure on the system, and under full load, you can hear it running it isn't loud, but it can be noticeable. You also have a substantial ghost load on your house electricity; the external power supply at the socket gets warm and stays warm, as does the pump itself when it's running. So you're basically saving a resource at the expense of a continuous energy drain.

Bottom line, nice product if you value super-clean water for your family or hobbies, but there are some trade-offs.

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