Reverse osmosis drinking water in Roswell, NM
RO gives you one tap of highly filtered water for drinking and cooking. Here's what it does well and what to ask before buying.
A reverse osmosis system forces water through a very fine membrane, with pre-filters ahead of it and a polishing filter after, and stores the result in a small tank that feeds its own faucet at the sink. It reduces dissolved solids, including sodium, nitrate and many other substances. Most go under the kitchen sink, sometimes with a line to the refrigerator.
Why pair RO with a softener?
A salt-based softener adds sodium as it removes hardness, about 8 mg/L per grain removed according to NDSU Extension, which suggests keeping an unsoftened tap for drinking and cooking. An RO faucet fills that role while the rest of the house stays soft. Softened water feeding the membrane also keeps hardness from scaling it.
What about nitrate?
Nitrate comes up a lot in farm country. The City of Roswell's 2024 report shows nitrate between 1.47 and 4.09 ppm, under the federal limit of 10, with no violation. On private wells the number can be different, and the New Mexico Environment Department recommends that well owners test for nitrate every spring. If a result is higher than you'd like, ask which point-of-use systems are independently certified to reduce nitrate, and retest after installation.
Where does the reject water go?
Home RO units send part of the water they process down the drain, which is why they're sized for a kitchen tap rather than the whole house. Ask how much water the system you're considering sends to drain and how the drain connection will be made. If you're on a septic system, mention that too.
What upkeep does it need?
- Pre-filters and post-filters replaced on a schedule
- The membrane replaced less often
- A periodic check of the storage tank's air pressure
Ask the company what the replacement schedule looks like for your water.
Pricing comes from the water treatment company after it has tested your water and looked at where the equipment will go. We don't quote prices, and a figure given over the phone before anyone has seen the plumbing is only a ballpark.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Is RO the same thing as a softener?
No. A softener treats all the water in the house for hardness. RO is a drinking-water filter for one or two taps.
Will RO work on well water?
Usually, but test the well first. Hardness, iron or sediment may need treatment ahead of the membrane so it isn't fouled.
Related services
More background: Roswell hard water guide.
Scale on the faucets, or a softener that stopped keeping up?
Call the number above and we'll connect you with a water treatment company that works in Roswell and the Pecos Valley.