The taste of water is determined by the impurities in it. Raw water in
different areas taste different. I've seen reports that indicate that the
most preferred water has a little bit of iron in it. This has been shown in
my area which has low to very high iron levels. I also found that, when
people really like the taste of their raw water, it has a touch of iron in
it.

It is also not unusual for people to actually prefer water with minimal
amounts of chlorine in it. These people were normally raised with
chlorinated water.

The taste of RO water is usually different if you aren't used to drinking
it. My feeling is that it is actually an absense of taste rather than a
particular sense of taste. Also, because it is virtually tasteless, it has
a tendency to pickup the 'flavor' of what it contacts. Sometimes that is
good and sometimes not. Morning breath and RO water is probably not a good
combination.

The taste of RO water will also change depending on the carbon polishing
filter that is used in the system. There is a big difference between types
of carbon. The better grades of carbon will normally make the water taste
better. Over 90% of my customers use a carbon polishing filter that will
actually 'sweeten' the taste of the RO water. I have never had a customer
go back to their old carbon after using this one.

Diana brought up a good point about the taste when changing a membrane.
Membranes are normally stored with a preservative in the bag. When you put
in a new membrane, you should run the RO water to drain for at least two
hours before using the water. If you do run the RO water into the holding
tank, you should flush the tank out a couple of times before using the
water.

The RO system also needs to be properly sanitized when changing filters,
especially the carbon polishing filter. Remember, you are opening up the
system when you change filters. Clean hands and some hydrogen peroxide over
the new carbon polishing filter and into the sump will help prevent
bacterial contamination which can definitely change the taste. This is the
step that a lot of system owners do not take. The other missed step is
timely filter changes. No carbon manufacturer will advocate using carbon
more than a year. Most of my customers change filters at least every six
months.

No matter what the initial taste of the RO water is to the customer, I have
never found anyone that could go back to drinking raw water after drinking
RO water for six months.

I would also suggest that you use the RO water for cooking along with
drinking. In cooking, the differences are normally subtle, but the food
does taste better. My coffee drinkers all agree with Ray about the improved
taste of their coffee. Most can actually reduce the amount of coffee used
in brewing. Some, by as much as 50%. (I don't drink coffee, so I depend on
customer 'reviews.')

Hope this helps,

John G. Talpa, CWS-VI
Certified Water Specialist
JT Company



"dd" wrote in message
...
I live in New England and grow orchids (about 80) in my home. The water
in our area isn't good--it has chlorine and lead. I water my orchids
with distilled water, which is, as my collection grows, getting
expensive. We also buy bottled water for drinking and cooking. At this
point, I'm considering an RO system for both drinking and plant
watering. My husband is interested in the conversion, but he asks,
"What does it taste like?"

So, does anyone drink RO water? How does the taste compare with spring
water, such as Poland Springs? Does anyone have a particular system to
recommend?

Thanks for any inputs.