World Health Organization (WHO) is among the most highly reputed organizations in the world. According to them and many other leading water authorities, drinking tap water is permissible. However, this depends on the TDS levels. We will analyse WHO’s taken on reverse Osmosis in this article. This will help you to decide whether you should buy a RO water purifier or not.
Their drinking water standards suggest that a TDS level of up to 300 mg/liter is considered to be best. A reading of 300-600 mg/liter is also good. However, a TDS of 900-1200 mg/liter is considered to be substandard. Lastly, a measure of above 1200 mg/liter is stated to be undrinkable.
For this reason, it becomes crucial to use a filtration process that eliminates all impurities. RO is among the top choices for its excellent features. However, WHO suggests that the process demineralizes water, making it unhealthy. Since most mineral molecules are large, they get trapped in the semi-permeable membrane filter. While this produces clean and hygienic water, it may not be the healthiest choice. According to a 2005 report by WHO, water contributes to our daily intake of nutrients by 20%. Losing up on these vital micronutrients can have a significant impact on our daily living. It can be one of the primary reasons why a large chunk of the population suffers from mineral deficiency. After analyzing research evidence, the WHO expressed its concern over the adverse impact of RO. Consumers of purified water automatically assume that having no toxins means health. However, the lack of impurities does not equate to healthful water.
Here are a few recommended nutrient intakes according to them:
- A minimum of 20mg/l of calcium is suggested. However, the ideal levels would be 40-80mg/l in your drinking water.
- For magnesium, there should be a minimum of 10mg/l in your drinking water. However, the optimum amount is 20-30mg/l.
Both these nutrients are essential for the human body, and RO takes them away from the water. However, it’s important to note that these lost nutrients can be made up for, through dietary supplements. Additionally, no other water purification system is as effective as this one, making it one-of-its-kind.