Review: Olympia OROS-50 Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
Written by: Alexandra Uta // Last Updated: Aug 4, 2023
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In this review, you will learn about the pros and cons of the OROS-50 reverse osmosis water filter system by Olympia Water Systems. The unit features an NSF-certified 5-stage filtration process designed for treating city or well water and making it potable.
Olympia Water Systems OROS-50 |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filter Stages: | 5 |
| Daily Water Limit: | 50 gpd |
| NSF Standard: | 42, 58 |
| Warranty: | 1 Year |
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Our Rating
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Olympia OROS-50 Reverse Osmosis System – Key Features
- Stage 1: At stage 1, we have a 5-micron polypropylene pre-filter that traps sand, silt, dirt and rust particles. The main purpose of this stage is to protect all other filters from clogging.
- Stage 2/3: At stage 2 and 3, a 5-micron carbon block pre-filter goes to work. The filter medium is derived from coconut shells and helps to get rid of volatile organic carbon compounds, insecticides, pesticides and many unwanted chemicals like chlorine for improved water quality, taste and smell.
- Stage 4: At the heart of the unit, we find an RO membrane rated at 0.0001 microns. Its tiny pores won’t allow most larger molecules to pass through and end up in your glass. This includes arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium 3 + 6, copper, turbidity, fluoride, lead, radium 226/288, selenium and TDS.
- Stage 5: Filtration stage 5 is made up of granular activated carbon that removes residual taste and odors that might have dissolved into the purified water while in the storage tank.
The recommended operation pressure for this system is between 50 and 100 psi. If the water pressure in your home is too low, filtration might be inefficient.
OROS-50 Pros
If we had to choose one aspect that makes the Olympia OROS-50 stand out, it would be the unbeatable price. What’s the catch?
It seems like there is none. We couldn’t find any major issues. Sure, the system doesn’t have the established track record that other models have, but still, it provides up to 50 gallons of clean and great tasting drinking water a day. This in combination with the 2.5-gallon capacity storage tank should be enough to give even larger households access to filtered water 24/7.
The Olympia Water Systems OROS-50 – learn more on amazon.com
System Installation
Thanks to step-by-step installation instructions with color photos, quick connect fittings and color-coded tubing, setting up the Olympia OROS-50 is fairly easy. If you have experience with drilling and basic plumbing, you might be done in 60 minutes or less. And yes, everything you need for the install is part of the package.
Remember to call Olympia’s USA-based customer support/technical service available at 1-800-516-2495 in case you need assistance or a replacement for a broken part. The team members are very helpful and really seem to know what they are talking about.
Parts List
- System module
- RO membrane housing
- 4x filter housings
- 4x carbon filters
- RO membrane
- Feed water valve (⅜”)
- Drain saddle
- Water storage tank (2.5 gallons capacity, white)
- Tank stand
- Tank valve
- Automatic shut-off valve
- Chrome faucet (lead-free)
- Color-coded tubing
- Filter housing wrenches
- Teflon tape
- Flow restrictor
Filter/Membrane Replacements
Maintenance requirements are low. To change the filters or membrane, use the correct housing wrench to remove the old cartridge and insert a new one AFTER you’ve shut off the water supply and depressurized the system. Make sure that the rubber O-ring is properly seated when you tighten the housing back on.
As per manufacturer instructions, here is how often you will have to change each filter component on average:
- Polypropylene pre-filter: About every 6-12 months
- Carbon block pre-filter: About every 6-12 months
- Carbon block pre-filter: About every 6-12 months
- RO membrane: Every 2 to 3 years
- GAC post-filter: Every 1-2 years
Please be aware that replacement frequency depends on your water usage and source water quality, meaning that actual filter/membrane working lives may vary.
OROS-50 Cons
Here is what we don’t like:
- In the manual it says that this product is NSF/ANSI 42 certified for the reduction of chlorine, taste and odors and NSF/ANSI 58 certified for the reduction of TDS (93%). This is a good start, however, in our opinion it’s not enough. We would have appreciated certifications for other substances, especially lead and fluoride. For us, there’s no substitute for independent lab testing.
- Water flow might be slower than what you are used to.
- A handful of customers had to deal with multiple leaks when turning on the water supply for the first time. It seems that the factory connections are causing a bit of trouble.
Olympia OROS-50 Review: Our Verdict + Best for
Water filtration is about protecting our health. This is why, generally speaking, we are not fans of going with cheap filters that often lack the efficiency required to get rid of the nasty stuff lurking in our waters.
In case of the OROS-50 by Olympia Water Systems, it’s different. Although we miss important certifications, the appliance should be perfectly suited for most city waters – water from a private well not so sure. Plus, using the OROS-50 is certainly better than having no system at all.
Our verdict: 4.0 out of 5 stars!
More Reviews:
- Not what you were looking for? How about another reverse osmosis water filter system?
If you have any questions about the Olympia OROS-50 or any other filter system really, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Alexandra Uta
