Your well water is the basis of the welfare of your household. This includes the health of your loved ones as well as the longevity of your clothes and even the quality of your household items inside and out of the house.
To prove the latter you can simply test your water or just look at your plants that you are watering with the water from your well or simply notice the taste of your food and drinks, the color of your white sheets, the condition of your silverware and the time span of when you have to repair your washing machine, dishwasher or change and fix the pipes and plumbing.
Naturally well water is rich in growing various minerals, metals and other contaminants. You might have heard many myths surrounding the quantities of those contaminants that are needed for the human body to maintain positive processes.
The truth is that if untreated there are big chances that your well water will be rather toxic to you and your household than not. To have the highest quality water supply from your well one of the best ways is to use reverse osmosis systems.
Reverse osmosis is the type of water filtering when the water is being purified to a 99% clearness by using a membrane. With this process RO systems clean all of the toxic contaminants from your well water such as iron, bacteria, nitrates etc. as well as treat its hardness.
We believe that choosing a suitable RO system for your well might get rather overwhelming, therefore we give you a thorough guide to the best options that you can choose from. Keep on reading and find out the best 5 reverse osmosis systems for your well water.
Is RO System Good for Well Water?
The definite answer to whether the RO system is good when treating your well water is yes. With this system installed you will be able to enjoy a water that is free from viruses, bacteria, iron, nitrates, chloride and many more idle microorganisms.
That is achieved because of the above mentioned membrane – the core of RO purification process. Because the membrane only passes the particles that are no larger than water molecules all the useless and damaging particles are left behind giving you the purest water possible.
Of course, this is the best option to treat your well water, however keep in mind that before installing the RO system for your well you will be required to do some pre-treatment.
In short, well water is usually hard and because RO filters will treat the contaminants that make well water appear harder the sensitive membrane might not be capable of dealing with that and therefore clog. To avoid that simply use any type of water softener.
See Comparison: Water Softener Vs Reverse Osmosis
Therefore, is the RO system necessary for well water? The answer really lies in your preference. If you want to have a supply of completely pure water at your household then RO water system is for sure what you need. However, before installing one, make sure to conduct the testing and treat the hardness of the existing well water.
Top 5 Reverse Osmosis Systems for Your Well Water
As promised we researched many options on the market and made a list of the top 5 RO systems that you can purchase and install to treat your well water. This list also includes both advantages and disadvantages of every system so that you could make a valid opinion before making your decision.
1. iSpring RCS5T 500 GPD Grade Commercial Tankless Reverse Osmosis System
This whole house RO water system is a great choice for those who aim to have purified water all over the household. With this 5 stage filtration unit your water will be eliminated of any odor, funny taste, chlorine, heavy metals, bacteria, viruses and all other harmful substances. Its capacity of 500GPD will provide you a sufficient amount of clean water and 1:1 drain water ratio the waste will be as low as possible.
If you are struggling with water pressure then this system will come to the rescue with its booster pump which increases the production of purified water by raising the water pressure at the same time maximizing RO water production rate. Moreover, it is quite easy to install especially with the help of the experts and thorough instructions (also provided in video format).
PROs:
- 5 stage filtration
- High capacity of 500GPD
- Low waste
- Includes a booster pump
- Easy to install
CONs:
- Better installed with the help of professionals
- Pricier than under the sink systems
2. Home Master TMHP HydroPerfection Under Sink RO System
This under sink filter system is unique because of its innovative design which, as claimed by the manufacturer, solves all the issues occurring with other RO systems of the same sort. Besides the usual elimination of harmful substances this filter also captures sediment which is crucial when treating well water. To protect a sensitive membrane this filter has an iron pre filter that, of course, prolongs the longevity of the device.
What is also special about this filter is that the creators really paid attention to every detail and taste is for sure one of them. To avoid the water taste flat this filter adds calcium and magnesium minerals twice during the purification process that ensure great taste. The filter system also comes with a UV filter that destroys microorganisms and permeate pump to maximize the pressure.
PROs:
- Innovative design
- Pre filter for iron
- Great taste
- UV filter destroys microorganisms
- Has a permeate pump
CONs:
- Some people can be sensitive to added calcium and magnesium
- Only to be used locally (e.g kitchen sink)
3. iSpring RCC7AK 6-Stage Under Sink RO System
The third on our list is another under sink RO filter that is profiled to make your drinking water up to 99% clean of the contaminants like chlorine, fluoride, arsenic, asbestos, calcium and more. Besides its usual 5 stage filtration this system has a 6th stage – alkaline remineralization filter. This filter restores all the healthy minerals removed during the RO purification process and balances alkalinity which results in a natural tasting water.
The system comes with a European style kitchen faucet and three extra long lasting pre filters that will protect your RO membrane from very large particles. In terms of installing this filter has a very easy DIY installation. Also, keep in mind that the whole system is structured to perfectly fit under your sink cabinet, so no additional space will be needed.
PROs:
- 6 stage filtration system
- Includes alkaline filter that restores healthy minerals
- Comes with a European style faucet
- Easy installation
- Natural tasting water
CONs:
- 75 GPD
- Filtered water to waste water ratio 1:3
4. Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis Under Sink System
This under sink filter will give you the experience of drinking the healthiest water on Earth. Moreover, with this RO system you will be able to do so by installing it yourself in a fast and easy way. That is because this system has a clever color coded design that will lead you through the process with no confusion. If that did not surprise you enough, this filter also has an automatic water filling tank and if any emergency leakage occurs a detector will shut off the water flow.
When purchasing this system you will also receive a set of extra filters. Besides that additional filters are fully customizable. With this in mind, after using this RO system for some time already you will be able to identify your preferences within your drinking water and choose additional filters accordingly. Those include UV, alkaline, deionization water filters and more.
PROs:
- Very easy installation
- Leak detector
- Includes an extra set of filters
- Customizable additional filters
CONs:
- 50GPD
5. APEC Water Systems ROES-50 RO System
The last but definitely not least on our list is yet another 5 stage under sink RO system. Designed, engineered and assembled in the USA this system claims to be one of the safest options on the market. This RO system will remove 1000+ contaminants and provide you a 99% pure water while maintaining feed water pressure of 40-85psi.
These high quality filters are also long lasting and are perfectly qualified to treat well water.
Additionally, the system comes with a 2 year extended warranty, high quality parts (including pipes and leak-free quick connect fittings), and DIY installation instructions provided by the experts of the industry.
PROs:
- 2 year warranty
- High quality, long-lasting parts
- USA product
- Easy installation
CONs:
- 5 stage filtering
- 50GPD
How RO Filtration for Well Water Works?
When installing RO filtration system to clean your well water there are certain aspects to take into consideration. Because it is impossible to insert the RO system directly into the well there are other peculiarities of how this filter works in order to treat your well water.
A regular under sink RO system is installed as followed:
- Before installing a RO system for well water inform yourself of how well pumping systems work as this will help you in choosing a booster pump needed for this process
- Level and install mounting block to hang your RO unit onto
- Turn off water to sink on your built in water shut off wrench
- Install a faucet and a waste water drain tube
- Attach booster pump and connect it to electric wires
- Attach supply drain line and and water waste line as advised in the instructions given by the manufacturer
- Manage the wires for a more comfortable and neat finish
- Add an in-line wrench for RO water on/off
- Attack a connector for clean water to the tank and clean water to spigot
- Make a line from tank to spigot and clean water from RO unit
- Insert RO filters into the unit, turn on water to sink and enjoy!
Under sink Vs. Whole House System: Which is Better for Well Water?
An important aspect when choosing an RO system to clean your well water is to decide whether getting an under sink unit or a whole house system. The answer will very much depend on your needs but also take a look at their side by side comparison to get a water cleaning system that would fill in all your needs.
| Type of filter | Under sink unit | Whole house system |
| Capacity (GPD) | Approx. 50GPD | Approx. 500GPD |
| Longevity of the filters | 3-12 months | 2-3years |
| Price range | 150- 2000$ | 450-10 000$ |
| Installation | Easy, DIY, no professional help needed | Easy to install, with the help of the professionals |
| Best for | Drinking and cooking | Usage all over the house including bathrooms and outdoors |
| Booster pump | Mostly no | Yes |
Tip: When deciding on the type of filtration system keep in mind if you need the filtered water all over your household including gardening, toilet etc. or just for cooking and drinking.
What Does Reverse Osmosis Remove from Well Water?
As it was mentioned above reverse osmosis filtering leaves the water up to 99,9% pure. Take a look at the main contaminants that are completely removed from well water using the RO system.
| Contaminant | Level |
| pH | 6,5 |
| Ammonia | 0.0 |
| Iron | 0.0 |
| Nitrite | 0.0 |
| Nitrate | < 0 ppm |
| Phosphate | < 0 ppm |
| Bacteria | none |
| Microorganisms | none |
| GH (general hardness) | 0 ° |
Is Reverse Osmosis the Best Way to Filter Well Water?
Reverse osmosis purification is by far the best filter when searching for a tool that will give you and your family completely pure water. Therefore, this filter is great for those who value and care about eliminating the harmful contaminants that might be found in regular water supplied by your well. However, there are few important details to consider when deciding on installing an RO system for your well water.
Firstly, before treating your water with any kind of filtering technique, test it by taking a small specimen. This way you will be to identify the presence of iron, sand and general hardness. If you are still debating whether to buy a RO system for your well water or not and your water is in a good condition you can choose other filtering options. Those include aeration, water softeners, pasteurization, distillation and chlorination. Even though these options will clean your water, it will not eliminate dangerous components, bacteria and viruses at the same level as the RO system.
Conclusion
By choosing an RO system for your well water you ensure a pure water supply for your household. It will purify your well water up to 99% leaving it free from bacteria, viruses and other damaging substances. Although, RO system is for sure one of the best filtering decisions there are few important aspects to consider.
First of all test your well water in order to identify a treatment that is necessary. Hence, if you think (or the test shows) that your well water is in a deliberately good condition and you are not ready for RO system just yet, there are other options available.
On the other hand if you decide for a RO system installation opt for the one that will suit your capacity needs the most. We hope that we have made your process of choosing an RO system for your well water a lot easier!