I am trying to decide between Watts Reverse Osmosis system versus Watts Zero Waste RO system, sold by Sams Club and Costco respectively (links below). Which one you recommend? Is it easy to disconnect them after one year and move to another place?
The major difference is in which membrane is included. They have different rated outputs and some can't be used with chlorinated water. A charcoial prefilter mitigates this some but if you get one rated "well water " (TFE) I wouldn't use it on city water. Most mass market places don't sell those. They sell CTA filters which can tolerate some chlorine. You should still have a charcoal prefilter. The membranes are somewhat universal sizes so you can get replacements that have different flow rates, TFE or CTA.
These are very very similar products and will both work extremely well with city water supplies. It is a FALSE statement to say that the unit sold at CostCo has Zero Waste water. It is likely to produce at leasst one gallon of waste water (brine) for each gallon it produces.
The two units appear to be otherwise identical, EXCEPT the one at CostCo includes a permeate pump. The silver and black cylinder shown in the background and its power supply lying in the foreground raise the pressure on membrane to 70-75PSI. This increases the production rate of the membrane significantly, so recovery time after draining some water is much faster.
One thing to keep in mind is that water pressure and water quality are significant factors affecting the output rate of a RO unit. Water quality is important, to remove silt, and to remove the chlorine present in most city supplies. A 75 gallon per day membrane when equipped with this pump, can deliver up to 50 Gal/Day with good water quality. The same system minus the pump will produce only about 25 Gal/Day.
Moving one from one place to another will be a problem. You get water to these units by tapping into the cold water line under the sink. Removing the unit will require inserting a valve to close off the water to the unit when you disconnect it. You also have the issue of the waste water line, which must also have a valve to shut it off when you remove the unit.
I do not have a Watts RO, but I have been an RO user for 10 years. Don't want to EVER go back. Will include a whole house RO in my new house (under $3000)
Thanks for your reply. Another option is to buy water filtered by machines available in some major supermarkets, like the type of machine made by Culligan
Robert Gamm> > I am trying to decide between Watts Reverse Osmosis system
the machines in supermarkets come with one additional item, a UV disinfection unit that will kill any bacteria that manages to grow in the output side of the RO membrane.
The issue with these supermarket vendors is cost. Ok, its WAY cheaper than bottled water. Most of these on the spot vend machines charge 20 to 25 cents per gallon. The customer is then responsible for cleaning and disinfecting the container before each use.
If you only use 5 gallons per week, and few households will use less than that of this wonderful tasting water, coffee, tea, ice, all cooking water, reconstituted fruit juices..... $1.25 a week, in 52 weeks its $65, three years its $195, and you should have gotten the unit at home. No jugs to handle, on the spot delivery and in three years, it has paid for itself.
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