Reverse Osmosis Systems

A reverse osmosis (RO) system installs neatly under your kitchen sink and pushes water through an ultra-fine membrane that removes the dissolved solids and contaminants ordinary filters leave behind — giving you exceptionally pure, great-tasting water for drinking and cooking. It's the same purification process used to make most bottled water, except you get it fresh, on demand, from a dedicated faucet at your sink.

What RO removes

A pitcher or fridge filter mostly improves taste and odor by reducing chlorine. Reverse osmosis goes much further, rejecting contaminants down to the molecular level:

• Up to 99% of total dissolved solids (TDS) — the dissolved minerals and salts that make water taste flat, salty, or "off."
• Lead and other dissolved metals that can leach from older plumbing.
• Nitrates — a common concern in rural and agricultural areas, and especially important for households with infants.
• Arsenic and fluoride, which most carbon-only filters do not reduce.
• The sodium a water softener adds to your water during ion exchange — RO removes it, so your drinking water isn't slightly salty.
• Chlorine taste and odor and the general "off" taste that sends people to bottled water.

How reverse osmosis works

An RO system is a multi-stage process. Water passes through each stage in order, and each one does a specific job:

• 1. Sediment pre-filter — traps dirt, rust, and sand so they don't clog the stages downstream.
• 2. Carbon pre-filter — removes chlorine and organics. This step is critical because chlorine can damage the RO membrane.
• 3. RO membrane — the heart of the system. Pressure forces water through a semi-permeable membrane with pores so fine that dissolved solids, metals, and most contaminants are rejected and flushed to the drain.
• 4. Post (polishing) carbon filter — gives the stored water a final polish for crisp, fresh taste right before it reaches your faucet.

Because the membrane produces purified water slowly, the system fills a small storage tank kept under the sink. When you open the RO faucet, water draws from that tank instantly — so you never wait for it.

Where it's installed

The system tucks under your kitchen sink, with the filters and storage tank inside the cabinet and a dedicated drinking-water faucet mounted on the sink deck (separate from your regular tap). If you'd like purified water at your refrigerator too, we can run an optional line to feed your fridge dispenser and ice maker — so your ice and chilled water are just as clean. We always do a tidy, professional installation and leave your cabinet neat.

Maintenance

RO systems are low-maintenance, but the filters do their job by capturing contaminants — so they need periodic replacement to keep working well:

• Sediment & carbon pre/post filters — replace about once a year. Fresh pre-filters also protect the membrane from chlorine and clogging.
• RO membrane — lasts longer, typically several years, depending on your water quality and usage.
• Sanitize the tank & lines — done as part of routine service to keep everything fresh.

We can supply the right replacement filters and remind you when service is due, so you don't have to track it yourself. And we service & repair all makes of reverse osmosis systems — even ones another company installed — so you've got a local team to call whenever yours needs attention.

Why homeowners add RO

• Better taste — noticeably cleaner water, coffee, tea, and ice.
• Peace of mind — reduces dissolved contaminants other filters miss.
• Save money — stop buying, hauling, and storing cases of bottled water.
• Convenient — unlimited pure water on demand at the tap.

Frequently asked questions

Does reverse osmosis waste water?

RO does send some water down the drain — that brine flow is how the membrane flushes away the contaminants it captures so they don't clog it. Older systems sent more water to drain than they produced; modern under-sink systems are far more efficient, and many use a permeate-pump or high-efficiency design that cuts drain water dramatically. For most households the amount is modest compared with the water and energy spent buying, hauling, and chilling bottled water.

Do I still need a softener if I have RO?

In most cases, yes. An under-sink RO system only treats the water at one tap — usually your kitchen sink. It doesn't soften the water going to your showers, water heater, washing machine, or the rest of the house. A water softener handles whole-home hardness and protects the RO membrane from scale. The two do different jobs: the softener makes your water soft, the RO makes your drinking water pure.

Is RO water safe, and does it strip out healthy minerals?

RO water is safe and clean — it's the same process behind most bottled water. RO does remove dissolved minerals along with contaminants, but those minerals are a very small part of your diet, which comes mostly from food. If you prefer a little mineral taste, we can add a remineralization stage that puts a small amount of calcium and magnesium back for a smoother flavor.

How often does an RO system need service?

Plan on changing the sediment and carbon pre/post filters about once a year, with the membrane replaced every few years depending on your water. We can set you up with the right filters and remind you when service is due.

What to expect

We start with a free water test — an on-site screening of your hardness, TDS, and chlorine — then recommend the right system and give you an honest flat quote, with no pressure. We install it cleanly under your sink with a dedicated faucet. For service on an existing RO unit, our flat $150 service call covers the visit and diagnosis only; any repair (parts and labor) is quoted separately and approved by you before we do the work. We're licensed & insured, locally owned, and have 20+ years of experience. See the full price sheet.

We install and service reverse osmosis systems across San Antonio, Boerne, Bulverde, Spring Branch, New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, and the surrounding Texas Hill Country. Whether you're on city water or a private well, we'll help you get clean, great-tasting water from your own tap.