RO Water

[Sanjeev Goyal]

PMOPG/E/2024/0086820

23/05/2024

 

Reg: RO Water:

 

Grievance: According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the use of RO water purifiers for TDS levels below 500 is prohibited. However, despite this regulation, RO purifiers have become omnipresent in households, driven by relentless advertising campaigns that portray them as essential life-saving devices. Non-RO water is often stigmatized as unfit for consumption, creating a widespread misconception.

 

Within this overarching issue lies a more critical concern with significant health implications. Medical standards dictate that drinking water should ideally have a TDS level around 150; anything below this threshold is deemed hazardous. However, RO machines available in market lack the flexibility for users to adjust the TDS level according to their needs. Technicians typically set the TDS level based on the current water quality, often opting for a very low setting to ensure a sweet taste, which is perceived as desirable. The problem arises when the quality of supplied water fluctuates, as technicians are called repeatedly to reset the TDS level. Moreover, if the quality of supplied water improves, the TDS level in RO water would drop to dangerously low levels, maintaining the sweet taste, without users' awareness, potentially compromising their health.

 

Probable Solution: To address these challenges, it is imperative to develop RO models with enhanced features. CSIR could play a pivotal role in this by spearheading the research and development of RO purifiers that offer adjustable TDS settings, empowering users to tailor water quality to their specific requirements. By bridging this technological gap, we can ensure safe and reliable access to drinking water for all.