AFFORDABLE REVERSE OSMOSIS INSTALLATION IN Buda, TX

How Much Does Reverse Osmosis Installation Usually Cost in Buda?

There are a lot of different reverse osmosis (RO) systems on the market, and because of that, there is a big difference in the price that you’ll pay. You can spend anywhere from $300 to $3,000 for an RO system including installation. On average, most Buda residents end up spending around $1,500. When compared to the cost of using bottled water, this makes the system incredibly affordable. It’s also a lot easier on the environment.

How much you’ll spend on your reverse osmosis system will depend on a few factors: 

The Type of System You Choose

There are two main types of reverse osmosis systems: 

• Point-of-entry or whole-house systems. These systems filter all the water coming into your home so clean, fresh water is available for every water source in the household. That means you’ll get filtered water in your kitchen as well as your shower, washing machine, and even the hose in your yard. These are larger systems and will take up a lot more space in your home. 
• Point-of-use or single tap systems. These systems filter the water going into a single tap or water source. Most people install these at their kitchen tap, as that’s the water source most commonly used for cooking and drinking water. The unit usually sits in the cupboard, such as underneath your sink. 

Whole house systems are more expensive, but they provide a higher degree of protection from water contamination. If you have health concerns that may make you or your family members especially vulnerable to water contaminants, such as an immune deficiency, then a whole-house system may be essential to your health and well-being. Some contaminants can get into your system through activities such as showering. That makes it ineffective to simply filter your drinking water.

However, whole-house RO systems may also be overpowered and overpriced for what you need, so it’s best to talk to an installation expert first. If your primary concern is drinking water, then a single tap system at your kitchen sink will probably be sufficient. It’s more affordable too and requires fewer filters. 

The Number of Filtration Stages

Reverse osmosis systems usually have between three and five stages of filtration. For most households in Buda, we recommend four-stage filtration systems. This provides you with enough filtration to deliver clean drinking water to your home while eliminating contaminants like bacteria, viruses, and unwanted chemicals. 

However, if you are using one of the million water wells in Texas for your drinking water, you should get a five-stage filtration system. These systems have an extra filtration stage that helps eliminate sediment from the water. That will give you a cleaner final product as well as help your RO system last longer. 

The more filtration stages you have, the more your system will cost. You should also consider the cost of the replacement filters and membranes when calculating the total cost of the system. 

The Difficulty of the Installation

Some installations are pretty straightforward, so they won’t take your Buda plumber long to complete. In older homes though, like the ones found in Downtown Buda Historic District, the installation may take a little more time. Old plumbing systems can slow down the installation and take a little more work to get the reverse osmosis system in place but it’s still possible to do.

When you call your plumber about a reverse osmosis system, they’ll evaluate your current plumbing system. Then they’ll let you know how long they believe the installation will take. Most plumbers charge an hourly fee of around $60 but will often provide you with a flat rate for the installation costs.

What Are the Most Common Water Contaminants in Buda?

Buda’s water meets federal safety guidelines. However, even within those guidelines, routine testing found nearly two dozen contaminants in the drinking water. Many people feel that any level of contamination is too much, but you should expect some level of contamination. That’s because the water we use filters through dirt, rocks, and sand before it reaches our water system. Along its journey, it comes into contact with rocks, minerals, and organic material that can leave traces in the water. The goal is to get those contaminants down to the lowest levels possible so the water you use and consume is as safe as possible.

The City of Buda’s water treatment system does an okay job, but some contaminants are still at levels far too high for the comfort of some families. Some of the 23 contaminants found in Buda’s water include: 

• Nitrates. These often come from fertilizers used in gardens and on farms. 
• Radium. This is often found in deep aquifers where the water is exposed to rock for a long period of time. 
• Haloacetic acids. Another byproduct of treating water with chlorine. 
• Chloroform. Another chlorine byproduct but may also enter the water from chemical companies. 
• Bromochloroacetic acid. A chlorine byproduct that may cause issues during pregnancy. 

Some of these contaminants have links to increasing the risk of certain types of cancers, including the contaminant that’s most prevalent in Buda’s water: trihalomethanes. 

Trihalomethanes or TTHMs form when the water treatment plants use chlorine to clean the water. Chlorine is very effective at cleaning water, which is why it’s also used in swimming pools. However, it’s not great to have in your drinking water. Trihalomethanes are an environmental pollutant and carcinogenic. Studies show that TTHMs may increase the risk of some bladder, colon, and brain cancers.

Can Residents in Buda Benefit From Reverse Osmosis Treatment?

Reverse osmosis filtration can help remove many of the contaminants found in our water supply. Water in a reverse osmosis system goes through a series of filters before passing through a membrane. These stages will all help remove contamination, including nitrates, radium, and TTHMs. It will also remove or lower the amount of these substances in your water: 

• Sodium
• Lead
• Copper
• Arsenic
• Phosphorus 
• Magnesium 
• Calcium

This leaves you with purer, cleaner water than you’d get from the city’s water supply. 

It’s important to remember too that Buda is growing quickly. The local population has doubled in the last decade. City managers are joining with other local governments to manage water resources. Soon, they will start bringing in new sources of water to help supply our population. What those sources are and how clean they’ll be is unknown. By putting a reverse osmosis system in place in your home, you’ll be protecting your household no matter what happens with Buda’s water in the future.

How Often Should Residents in Buda Replace Reverse Osmosis Prefilters?

There are several filters and membranes that you’ll need to periodically replace in your reverse osmosis system. These include: 

• Prefilters. You should replace these about every six months. 
• Post-filters. Replace these once a year. 
• Membranes. Because Buda has very hard water, you’ll want to replace these every two years. If you have soft water, you can replace them every three to five years.

Replacing your filters will not only help keep your water fresh and clean but will also help extend the life of your RO system. Filters cost between $10 and $50 depending on the kind of system you have and where you buy them. Talk to your RO system installer and ask for their recommendations on which filters offer the best value and where you can buy them. They’ll also show you how to replace the filters correctly. 

Do You Need a Water Softener With Your Reverse Osmosis System in Buda?

One of the great features of a reverse osmosis system is it can pair seamlessly with a water softener. In Buda, you’ll likely want both. That’s because the water in Buda is very hard, measuring at around 200 parts per million (ppm). That means there is a high concentration of minerals in our water, usually calcium carbonate and magnesium. These minerals get into the water as it passes through rocks underground, so groundwater is usually much harder than surface water. Most water in Texas comes from underground aquifers, though we’re lucky and get some of our water from Canyon Lake. However, most households will still experience very hard water.

A reverse osmosis system can actually filter out some of these materials, reducing the hardness of water slightly. That can help reduce the water stains on your shower door and the mineral buildup in your dishwasher or washing machine. However, because our water in Buda is so high in mineral content, pairing your RO system with a water softener can give you even better results. A water softener will greatly reduce the mineral content in the water, giving you the clearest, cleanest, freshest water possible. It’s also gentler on your skin, clothes, and dishes. 

A Buda plumber can help recommend water softener and RO systems that work well together to give you the cleanest water possible.