What Does Purified by Reverse Osmosis Mean? Find Out Here!
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Last Updated: Jun 2, 2023
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Reverse osmosis is one of the most effective water filtration methods.
But sometimes, the many terms used in RO filtration may get confusing. For example, what does “purified by reverse osmosis” mean precisely when it comes to bottled water?
In this article, we’ll answer that question and share some reputable bottled water brands that use reverse osmosis. Stay with us to learn all the details!
Contents
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Key Takeaways
- Water is “purified by reverse osmosis” when it was filtered using a reverse osmosis membrane.
- Many bottlers use reverse osmosis to purify their water before packaging.
What Does Purified By Reverse Osmosis Mean?
So, what does purified by reverse osmosis mean?
Purified by reverse osmosis means exactly what it sounds like. We say water is purified by reverse osmosis when it has been processed by a reverse osmosis membrane to remove impurities and contamination.
So water that has been purified by reverse osmosis is essentially reverse osmosis water.
Bottled Water Brands That Use Reverse Osmosis
RO water is generally almost contaminant-free. Bottled water brands that use RO water include:
Dasani
Dasani is a bottled water brand created by the famous Coca-Cola company. The brand advertises itself as being committed to sustainability (Dasani uses 100% recyclable bottles and strives to reduce their environmental impact), and it also remineralizes water after filtration to give it a refreshing taste.
Aquafina
PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) produces Aquafina water. Aquafina meets and exceeds the EPA and FDA requirements for bottled water. The company conducts over 300 tests daily to ensure its bottled water quality stays top-notch.
Essentia
Reverse osmosis water tends to be mildly acidic. Usually, this is fine. But if you have some underlying medical conditions, drinking acidic RO water may cause discomfort. Essentia uses reverse osmosis to purify their water, then adds ions to the water to make it alkaline.
Propel
Propel bottled water is tagged “fitness water”. That’s because the water contains Gatorade electrolytes which provide sodium and potassium, two minerals athletes lose when they sweat.
Propel water is clean (RO-purified) and great for extra hydration during sports.
Arrowhead
Arrowhead sources its water from strictly selected springs, so it’s somewhat naturally clean. Still, the brand uses reverse osmosis as well as ultraviolet and ozone disinfection to treat water and achieve higher purity levels.
To top it all, Arrowhead replenishes its water with the necessary minerals for better taste!
Perfect Hydration
Perfect Hydration uses nine stages of ultra-purification to achieve high water quality. The brand also adds healthy ions to water and increases its pH to make it alkaline (pH over 9.5).
Also, their bottles are recyclable and sustainable, meaning less harm to the environment!
Core Hydration
Core Hydration uses a seven-stage reverse osmosis process.
The brand constantly aims to provide bottled water for every lifestyle. So apart from channeling efforts into their water quality, Core Hydration also ensures that their bottles are user-friendly. For example, they designed a wide-mouth, smoothly-shaped water bottle for their RO water.
Nestle Pure Life
Nestle Pure Life goes the extra mile, filtering water through 13 stages. The result is distinctive water quality that meets high standards.
Nestle Pure Life is a famous brand, so you’ll easily find it at many online and local stores.
Great Value
Great Value water is known to be highly nutritious. The brand also places high value on sustainability, and its products leave a low carbon footprint on the environment.
You can find Great Value bottled water at Walmart and other online retailers.
Harris Teeter
Harris Teeter is a supermarket chain with over 200 stores in different states. The brand sells a wide range of its own products, including bakery, dairy, frozen food, and bottled water.
Harris Teeter produces bottled water purified with reverse osmosis and ozonation.
LifeWTR
LifeWTR produces purified, great-tasting bottled water. After the RO purification, LifeWTR adds magnesium and potassium sulfate to give the water a crisp yet natural taste.
Their bottled water has a pH of 6.4 to 7.4, much like natural water.
Member’s Mark
Member’s Mark uses RO to purify water before charging it with electrolytes and minerals. Member’s Mark’s bottled water is renowned for being clean, refreshing, and alkaline (pH over 9.5).
Penta Water
Penta sources its water from natural aquifers, then treats it with RO and 12 other stages of purification. Penta prides itself on the naturalness and purity of its bottled water; the brand does not use additives or pH-altering chemicals.
Body Armor
Body Armor majors in producing different types of sports drinks. Interestingly, that includes RO-treated water. Body Armor water is alkaline and infused with electrolytes for extra strength and hydration.
Why Do Water Bottlers Choose Reverse Osmosis Anyway?
- Water bottlers choose reverse osmosis first because it is highly effective. Reverse osmosis removes over 99% of water contaminants, including lead, arsenic, and other chemical pollutants found in water sources.
- Second, RO is practical for large-scale water purification. That makes it unique because although some other methods are just as effective, they are impractical or too complicated when used at scale. You can use RO to purify high volumes of water and still get an excellent purity level.
- And third, reverse osmosis is comparatively cheap.
Is Bottled Water Purified by Reverse Osmosis Safe to Drink?
Yes, RO-purified bottled water is generally safe to drink. There are water standards that regulate the quality of bottled water, and RO bottled water must meet these standards.
However, RO bottled water is not perfect. In fact, drinking water standards for tap water are more strict than those for bottled water. Besides, some water sources contain more contaminants than others, so the purity of the final product highly depends on the bottled water source.
Further Reading:
What Is Reverse Osmosis Purification, and How Does It Work?
Reverse osmosis is a water purification technique that uses a semi-permeable membrane (called the RO membrane) to separate contaminants from water.
It works by forcing water under high pressure through the RO membrane. The membrane has tiny pores (about .0001 microns), so it readily blocks close to 100% of contaminants like microbes, pesticides, heavy metals, and different salts.
Benefits of RO
Reverse osmosis has the following benefits:
Advanced Filtration
Reverse osmosis removes almost all contaminants from water. This includes arsenic, fluoride, chlorine, lead, iron, pesticides, herbicides, salts, and many others. It is one of the most advanced water filtration methods available today.
Improved Water Smell and Taste
RO removes, among others, contaminants that give water a weird smell or taste (like hydrogen sulfide and chlorine). It also improves the water’s look by eliminating turbidity and physical contaminants.
Healthy Drinking Water
Drinking water contamination can cause various severe health issues. By removing those contaminants, reverse osmosis makes your water healthy.
Flexibility
There are various easy ways to get RO water. You could buy from the RO water brands mentioned above or install a reverse osmosis system in your home.
If you have any thoughts about the question, what is purified by reverse osmosis, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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