# Reverse Osmosis for apartment?



## sora (Oct 7, 2006)

I'm using a Brita picture for filtering water. I read many here are using reverse osmosis filtering system. Can it be installed in an apartment? We are renting.
How would you compare it to Brita?
Thanks!


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## mean_jeannie (Mar 3, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sora* 
I'm using a Brita picture for filtering water. I read many here are using reverse osmosis filtering system. Can it be installed in an apartment? We are renting.
How would you compare it to Brita?
Thanks!

Brita pitchers are carbon filters. It is mostly for the taste factor for many people, though carbon does filter out other things. And those other things I cannot at the moment think of







!

You can install a reverse osmosis system under the kitchen sink. You will need a pressure pump and one of those little wand water dispensers (the RO water won't come out of the regular spigot). Then when you move, you just dissassemble the unit and put back the regular plumbing fixture. If your fridge has an in-door water dispenser or ice maker, you can also connect the RO to that.

I am very happy with RO water. I bake a lot of bread so having clean water is very important to that end, not just my family's health - I want my bread to rise, lol! And I think RO water tastes good. Aquafina and Dasani are examples of RO water.

A good place to check is a local saltwater fish store. Reefkeepers need RO/DI water for their tanks and many of those guys are the DIY type. Can probably get good info and some help there. Our local fish store actually installed my MIL's system so you never know.


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## llamalluv (Aug 24, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sora* 
I'm using a Brita picture for filtering water. I read many here are using reverse osmosis filtering system. Can it be installed in an apartment? We are renting.
How would you compare it to Brita?
Thanks!

Check your lease. We are not allowed to have anything plumbing related installed in our apartment. (Other than the stuff they installed!)


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## sunnysandiegan (Mar 5, 2008)

We installed our RO system shortly after moving in and LOVE it!







:

The previous owner had a simpler carbon filter installed and had already run the tubing from the sink to the fridge and already had a hole in the sink for the water spigot. We thought it would be a simple swap. Ah, not so much. LOL We got our RO system at Home Depot, but they are far more plentiful nowadays and cheaper, too.

Anyway, the worst part of our install was redrilling the correct size hole for the spigot that we needed for our system. DH tried a few methods several folks recommended and finally one worked. Once over that hurdle, the other issue was finding space for all the "stuff" under our sink. The cabinet already has a garbage disposal and low pipes and an awkwardly placed outlet under there. Working around these required numerous tries and configurations, but finally worked!









If you cannot drill a hole for the spigot, it may not be worth it. We would have gladly used the existing spigot from the previous owners carbon filter except the fittings didn't work with our new RO system. There may be different styles and systems nowadays, but ours requires two upright filters and a third horizontal filter. These filters are all connected and take up some space and have to be replaced regularly. You know by the taste of your water!







Two are inexpensive and get replaced more often than the one expensive one. I have seen newer models with one less filter and I would have to taste the water before buying a two-filter system.

Sorry this is so disjointed, I've had a major distraction here... LOL She was happily playing dress-up when I started...


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