Should I Use Reverse Osmosis with Hard Water or Soft Water?

I am thinking of getting a reverse osmosis system to improve the taste of our water.  Our water has a total dissolved solids level of 450 ppm.  Our water is also hard, should I put the RO on hard water or soft water?

When they installed our softener, the plumber advised us to have the kitchen sink unsoftened, so our kitchen sink water is hard.  That is where we plan to put the reverse osmosis system.

Roy

Rolla, MO

Hello Roy,

RO systems work much better and last longer if they are on softened water.  The hardness minerals scale up the membranes.   If possible, it would be best to change the line going to the sink so it is soft water, as you will get better performance from your RO and the RO membrane will last much longer.

Thanks for your e-mail!