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.

dd wrote:

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?


That is what I drink all the time... It tastes fine to me. I also like
plain old well water, but ours can have a bit of sulphury taste on
occasion which I find unpleasant. Chances are good that some of the
'spring water' or bottled water you are buying is also RO purified. I
know that a lot of bottlers just fill up from their local municipal
supply (not RO, of course). Anyway, I can't really tell the difference,
and for the price I will continue to drink RO at home.

Can't recommend a system to you. Rather I can highly recommend my
system, which was professionally installed by one our newgroup
frequenters (John Talpa), but I'm pretty sure he won't go out to the
East Coast and put it in... *grin* But for those of you near Kalamazoo,
MI (yes, there really is a Kalamazoo), by all means give him a call.

If you are buying all of your cooking and drinking water bottled, then
run, don't walk to the phone and call a qualified water specialist. You
will save money and your back. I recommend a professional mainly
because while it is reasonably easy to set this stuff up, if you are
like me you would spend more time in trips to the hardware store for
miscellaneous parts than it is worth. You get what you pay for.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit

Maybe Rob thinks it tastes OK, but apparently some don't. If you check out
Dasani water, you'll find it's RO water to which they've added minerals to
make it "taste fresh." (whatever that means)

I will tell you this : at first, the RO water will have a definite flavor,
probably from the post-membrane parts until they "break in" a bit. It's not
bad, just odd. I can also tell you that I've made one helluva good pot of
coffee with RO!

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"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.

I, too, noticed a slight "off" taste when we first put in our RO system --
not sure whether it went away or I got used to it, but for whichever reason,
it was a minor, short-lived problem.

--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids

http://www.jborchids.com
"Ray" wrote in message
...
Maybe Rob thinks it tastes OK, but apparently some don't. If you check
out
Dasani water, you'll find it's RO water to which they've added minerals to
make it "taste fresh." (whatever that means)

I will tell you this : at first, the RO water will have a definite
flavor,
probably from the post-membrane parts until they "break in" a bit. It's
not
bad, just odd. I can also tell you that I've made one helluva good pot of
coffee with RO!

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

. . . . . . . . . . .
"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.

I, too, noticed a slight "off" taste when we first put in our RO system --
not sure whether it went away or I got used to it, but for whichever reason,
it was a minor, short-lived problem.

--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids

http://www.jborchids.com
"Ray" wrote in message
...
Maybe Rob thinks it tastes OK, but apparently some don't. If you check
out
Dasani water, you'll find it's RO water to which they've added minerals to
make it "taste fresh." (whatever that means)

I will tell you this : at first, the RO water will have a definite
flavor,
probably from the post-membrane parts until they "break in" a bit. It's
not
bad, just odd. I can also tell you that I've made one helluva good pot of
coffee with RO!

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

. . . . . . . . . . .
"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.

I, too, noticed a slight "off" taste when we first put in our RO system --
not sure whether it went away or I got used to it, but for whichever reason,
it was a minor, short-lived problem.

--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids

http://www.jborchids.com
"Ray" wrote in message
...
Maybe Rob thinks it tastes OK, but apparently some don't. If you check
out
Dasani water, you'll find it's RO water to which they've added minerals to
make it "taste fresh." (whatever that means)

I will tell you this : at first, the RO water will have a definite
flavor,
probably from the post-membrane parts until they "break in" a bit. It's
not
bad, just odd. I can also tell you that I've made one helluva good pot of
coffee with RO!

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

. . . . . . . . . . .
"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.

We have been using RO water for drinking, etc, for a number of years. When
you change filters or the membrane, it's important to run several gallons
through before drinking it. Any new filter, in any system, needs to be
flushed when newly installed. As far as taste, I pefer it to bottled water,
most of which tastes 'dead' to me. And most bottled stuff is nothing more
than municipal water. Poland Spring, which you mentioned, is simply good
well water drawn from the same aquifir that is used by surrounding
residents.

Diana

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.

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.

When I grew up in Pittsburgh, I had a friend from Kalamazoo or I woundn't
have believed you

"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...
dd wrote:

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?


That is what I drink all the time... It tastes fine to me. I also like
plain old well water, but ours can have a bit of sulphury taste on
occasion which I find unpleasant. Chances are good that some of the
'spring water' or bottled water you are buying is also RO purified. I
know that a lot of bottlers just fill up from their local municipal
supply (not RO, of course). Anyway, I can't really tell the difference,
and for the price I will continue to drink RO at home.

Can't recommend a system to you. Rather I can highly recommend my
system, which was professionally installed by one our newgroup
frequenters (John Talpa), but I'm pretty sure he won't go out to the
East Coast and put it in... *grin* But for those of you near Kalamazoo,
MI (yes, there really is a Kalamazoo), by all means give him a call.

If you are buying all of your cooking and drinking water bottled, then
run, don't walk to the phone and call a qualified water specialist. You
will save money and your back. I recommend a professional mainly
because while it is reasonably easy to set this stuff up, if you are
like me you would spend more time in trips to the hardware store for
miscellaneous parts than it is worth. You get what you pay for.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit

Thank you and everyone else who posted. We are going to call for
estimates!



In article , John G. Talpa
wrote:

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.

For what it's worth, for about a year I drank water from our solar
still, which removes just about everything. Ice cubes and iced tea are
remarkably better with good water. Of course, Phoenix metro has very high
TDS.

Anyway- RO and distilled water have no fluoride in them, so you
have to be careful, particularly with kids in the house. Otherwise, you
can increase your incidence of dental caries if that's all they get.
*Supposedly* the quantity in toothpaste is enough to fluoridate your teeth
when used as prescribed, but I still think there is some benefit to tooth
and bone density when ingested. (The small quantity of toothpaste that
kids and adults ingest even after rinsing is probably enough, but you
never know!) On the bright side, if EVERYONE drank purified water, maybe
we could stomp out the wave of communism sweeping the nation.

Although it tastes better, I normally diluted my distilled water
with a little water from the tap. There's other stuff in tap water that
your body can use- purified water ALL the time isn't good for you.

John is definitely the right guy to see about your water system-
from drinking to orchids, he knows his stuff.

Do not reply to the e-mail address in the header. It's a spam trap
that goes straight to the FTC.

-AJHicks
Chandler, AZ