4 Stage Undersink Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System
Australian WaterMark Certified RO System
This RO system is certified to WaterMark Standards AS/NZS 3497 under the Certificate Number 23247. WaterMark certification is the level of certification required by law for a licensed plumber in Australia to install a water filter system. All products used under this certification will give you peace of mind knowing that your water filter complies with Australian plumbing codes.
WaterMark Certification not only covers materials for their structural integrity under pressure, it also requires that all components, including filters, meet NSF/ANSI 42 or Higher Standards (National Sanitation Foundation).
Buy with peace of mind knowing you are getting the best quality products in Australia.
Our WaterMark certified filter systems are hand assembled here in Australia and are randomly batch tested to ensure top quality and workmanship for your water filtration products.
NEW FEATURES
- Heavy Duty 316 Certified Stainless Steel Centre Joiner
- Twin O-Ring Undersink Housings GT8-0S
- NEW USA Made Asprin 50GPD Membrane
- DM FIT Entry Tee Valve (Inlet Water)
- Certified Modern Goose Neck Faucet
- Certified Inline Check Valve
- Colour Coded Tubing For Easy Installation
- Sharp & Durable Tube Cutter
- Plumbers Tape
- Quick Connect Faucet Adaptor
- Twin Opening Spanner - Opens Filter Housings + Membrane Housing
Inlet Tee - Compliant to NSF/ANSI 61
Gone are the days of struggling to get the right amount of thread tape onto your fittings (such as the feed water block and brass ball valve). Now, thanks to this handy combination fitting, it's simply a matter of interrupting your cold-water line with this tee and plugging in the 1/4" tubing to the filtration system.
The other benefit of this fitting is that by having the built-in isolation switch you can easily turn the water on and off for cartridge changes.
Filter Breakdown
Stage 1: GT2-2K Polypropylene Spun Sediment Filter 5 Micron
Replace every 6 Months
Removes suspended matter such as silt, rust sand, algae, sediment, scale particles, dirt and cloudiness from the water.
Stage 2: GT4-7P 100% Coconut Carbon Block Filter 5 Micron
Replace every 6 Months
Removes herbicides, pesticides, chlorine, chlorine bi-products and volatile organic compounds (VOC's) to protect the membrane.
Stage 3: GT13-59 Asprinn 50GPD Reverse Osmosis Membrane 0.0001 Micron
Replace every 1-4 Years (Depending on water quality)
Removes over 98% of impurities including organic & inorganic minerals, heavy metals & fluoride.
Stage 4: GT6-21S 1 Micron Purefer Inline GAC Filter
Replace every 12 Months
Polishes the water and removes any taste or odour water may have picked up while sitting in the tank.
Organic Minerals VS Inorganic Minerals In Water
Contrary to common beliefs, less than 1% of organic minerals are actually found in most raw water supplies. With the increase of pollutants, our water supply contains mostly inorganic minerals. Inorganic minerals consist of calcium, iron, magnesium, carbonate and lime compounds, which are not compatible with our bodies.
The body's cells reject these minerals leaving dissolved inorganic substances (acid crystals - minerals deposits) throughout the body. This accumulation of debris creates more work and trouble for the body, such as arthritis in joints, gallstones, kidney stones and mineral deposits in artery walls.
Organic minerals that are considered soluble (which means the body absorbs sustenance into the cells), are found in live foods such as fruits & vegetables. One glass of freshly squeezed orange juice would be higher in minerals than 30 gallons of untreated raw water.
Purified water provides a necessary rinsing treatment for hydration purposes as our body is mostly fluid (over 80% water) and equally important, is to rinse impurities out of our body. Drinking purified water both prevents inorganic minerals from entering our bodies and removes inorganic mineral deposits already there.
Faucet Tap Options
All of our under-sink RO systems come with a dedicated drinking water faucet tap as standard – which means you will need to drill a hole into your sink or benchtop to install it. Alternatively, you can swap out your current faucet for a 3-way mixer tap, which includes all 3 lines in the one faucet (Hot, Cold & Filtered) – this is a great option for those who don’t want to drill (i.e. if you have a stone benchtop), and it also looks nice and minimalistic.
System Dimensions
Height: 39cm
Width: 37cm
Depth: 21cm
Storage Tank Dimensions
Height (With Stand): 42cm
Height (No Stand): 38.5cm
Width: 27cm
Kit Includes
- 4 Stage WaterMark Certified RO System
- Filters Included
- 12L Storage Tank
- 2m White Tubing
- 2m Black Tubing
- 2m Yellow Tubing
- 2m Blue Tubing
- Tube Cutter
- Thread Tape
- Quick Connect Faucet Adaptor
- Dual Opening Spanner
- Inlet Water Valve
- Pressure Limiting Valve
- Goose Neck Faucet
- Drain Clamp
- Instruction Booklet + Schematic Diagram
System Requirements
- Pressure: 50-100 psi
- TDS: <1800 mg/L
- Iron: <0.02 mg/L
- Manganese: <0.1 mg/L
- Total Hardness: <500 mg/L
- Temperature: <45°C
NOTE: Water that falls outside these parameters may cause the system to produce higher ratios of drain water and may lower the 50GPD rating. Water Quality in different areas can greatly impact the life of a Reverse Osmosis membrane. Please contact us if you require further information about cartridge replacements.
INSTALLATION - Please note this system is WaterMark Certified to Australian plumbing standards (AS/NZS 3497), and will need to be installed by a licensed plumber. Simply order online with free shipping to your home, and once it arrives any local licensed plumber will be able to do the installation (the system also comes with instructions)!
**IMPORTANT INFORMATION**
How often should you change reverse osmosis water filters?
Filter Replacements & Maintenance Schedule
To maintain the optimum level of filtration year-round, and to ensure you get the maximum life out of your RO membrane (the engine room of this system), we strongly recommend a consistent filter maintenance schedule.
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Pre-Filters
Every 6 months you will need to change the pre-filters, which help protect and extend the life of the membrane. Some people neglect to keep up with the maintenance of the pre-filters, thinking that the RO membrane will take care of it! However, the RO membrane is the most delicate and expensive filter within any RO system, so it's worth protecting your investment!
The pre-filters thus serve the dual purpose of blocking sediment particles larger than 5 microns and removing chlorine, which both cause damage to the inside of the RO membrane in different ways:- Sediment particles physically damage the fine internals, causing micro-tears that allow contaminants through to the "clean" side of the osmotic membrane, as well as blocking up the membrane which can cause the system to stop producing water and force an excessive amount of water to waste.
- Chlorine that has been dissolved in water creates corrosive hypochlorous and hydrochloric acids, which dissolve the delicate RO membrane (via a process called "ring chlorination" which disrupts the hydrogen bonding between the membrane's polymer matrix) and allows contaminants to pass through to the "clean side". Because this process occurs gradually over time, most people don't notice the taste of contamination until they change their membrane!
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Reverse Osmosis Membranes*
Reverse Osmosis membranes filter down to an ultra-fine level of filtration - down to 0.0001 of a micron - which is the reason why RO membranes can filter out minerals, salts, and metals (unlike carbon). Because this level of filtration is so fine, RO membranes do eventually clog up over time. How long you will be able to get out of your RO membrane, depends on the consistency of your membrane pre-filter maintenance, along with the starting quality of your water.
Schematic diagram of the pores in a reverse osmosis membrane.
(Adapted from Geise, G.M., 2021, found in https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abe9741)
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- HARD WATER (water that is full of salts and minerals) takes a bigger toll on RO membranes than water that is SOFT (water with a low Total Dissolved Solids rating).
- Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland tend to have hard water, along with those whose main source of water comes from a bore.
- Thus, whilst we have specified a recommended maintenance schedule (below), the quality of the water in the area you live, is ultimately what will determine how long you get out of your RO membrane.
- *If you are on hard water, at the 2-year mark, simply go for the FULL Replacement Pack (which includes an RO Membrane). Note - cases of extremely hard water may get less than 2 years out of an RO membrane.
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Post-Filters
This is the filter that goes after the RO membrane to "perfect" the water for final consumption. Over the course of a year, the carbon post-filter will eventually exhaust its capacity to adsorb residuals.
Please see the Recommended Filter Replacement Schedules (per the above) and links to the replacement filters:
HARD WATER - Recommended Filter Replacement Schedule*
- Every 6 Months - Pre-Filter Replacement Pack
- Year 1 - Pre- and Post-Filter Replacement Pack
- Year 2 - FULL Replacement Pack - Pre- and Post-Filters + Reverse Osmosis Membrane*
MODERATE/SOFT WATER - Recommended Filter Replacement Schedule*
- Every 6 Months - Pre-Filter Replacement Pack
- Year 1 - Pre- and Post-Filter Replacement Pack
- Year 2 - Pre- and Post-Filter Replacement Pack
- Year 3 - Pre- and Post-Filter Replacement Pack
- Year 4 - FULL Replacement Pack - Pre- and Post-Filters + Reverse Osmosis Membrane*
***IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT WATER SANITATION FOR RAIN/BORE WATER SOURCES***
PLEASE NOTE: REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEMS PERFORM OPTIMALLY ON CHLORINATED (MAINS/TOWN) WATER, AS THE PRESENCE OF CHLORINE KILLS THE BACTERIA/FUNGI/YEAST. THEREFORE, REGULAR & CONSISTENT WATER DISINFECTION IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED FOR RAIN/TANK/POTABLE BORE WATER* SOURCES PRIOR TO USING A REVERSE OSMOSIS FILTER SYSTEM. FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY DISINFECT THE WATER WILL RESULT IN BIOFOULING OF THE RO MEMBRANE (I.E. A BACTERIA/FUNGUS/SLIME COLONY WILL START GROWING INSIDE THE MEMBRANE WHICH WILL PUTREFY YOUR FILTER SYSTEM & RENDER THE RO MEMBRANE UNSALVAGEABLE).
For Protection Against Bacteria/Fungi/Yeast
Bacteria (such as E.Coli) can colonize in the stagnant water and result in harmful illnesses when consumed. For sanitation against common water-borne bacteria/viruses in rainwater and potable bore water*, we, therefore, recommend dosing your tank with a product such as Hydrosil Ultra 7.5% Water Sanitiser to ensure protection against microbiological contamination/biofouling in your pipework and/or filter system.
HydroSil is a food-grade silver-activated, hydrogen-peroxide based water sanitiser, which acts to oxidise bacteria and viruses, without leaving any dangerous residues behind. HydroSil sanitizes and protects your tanks and water storage devices, making rainwater and potable bore water safe and suitable for human consumption. HydroSil is not a chlorine-based chemical like most sterilisers on the market today. It is non-toxic, and safe to use around your home and family.
Dosage Rate: HydroSil should be dosed at a rate of 200mL per 1000L of water. To scale down to tank size, you will require 20mL per 100L.
About Rain Water
Australia is the world’s driest inhabited continent, and an astonishing 10% of Aussies don’t have access to a mains water supply, so it’s no wonder why rainwater and bore storage tanks are so popular in rural areas to save water during drought and for household use all year round in cooking, cleaning, gardening, bathing and sometimes even drinking. However, whilst many people enjoy the sweet taste of rain and spring water, and some even swear by the ‘raw water’ trend (which proponents (sometimes falsely) believe has more minerals and fewer contaminants than regular chlorinated town water), we cannot stress enough that drinking untreated water is a very bad idea!
Scarily, in Australia, the general public perception is that rainwater is pure, clean, and safe to drink, but according to the Australian Environmental Health committee’s Guidance of the Use of Rainwater tanks, the fact is that the microbial quality of tank-collected rainwater is typically worse than regular urban tap water, and not to mention, the chemical quality of rainwater can be negatively impacted for those living near heavy industry or in areas with heavy traffic emissions. For example, rainwater samples in Port Pirie, South Australia, (which has one of the world’s largest lead smelters), have been found to contain levels of lead that exceed Australian Drinking Water Guidelines by up to ten times! Even bushfire can contaminate rainwater! And that’s not to mention the microbiologically sickening soup of bacteria, viruses parasites that inevitably make their way into your tank from disease-spreading insects such as mosquitoes, the excrement and decaying carcasses of frogs, snakes, rodents, and possums that commonly live in and around tanks, and the droppings from bats and birds flying overhead! Also consider that bacteria tend to proliferate in moist and warm environments, meaning that warmer weather, in particular, has the tendency to turn your tank into a putrified bacterial breeding ground. Thus, whilst rainwater may smell odourless, taste great, and look clean and clear to the naked eye, with the human senses alone, you simply cannot tell what potentially harmful microscopic contaminants could be lurking in your tank water (even after filtering the water with carbon) – and you certainly don’t want to be drinking it!
About Bore Water
Bore water will always require filtration, as whilst you would think it is “naturally purified” to some extent as the water seeps through the aquifer via various layers of bedrock, this water is highly susceptible to contamination by bacteria, viruses, parasites (see: Brain-Eating Parasites), sewerage (think human excrement, cleaning and bathing products), chemicals, fertilisers, pesticides, minerals, heavy metals (such as lead, zinc, chromium, copper, cadmium, arsenic and nickel), and sometimes even radioactive elements (such as uranium) from both natural sources and human activity. As with rainwater treatment, the most cost-effective solution is typically to use 5 Micron Carbon Filtration in combination with UV Sterilisation to ensure 99.9% eradication of all parasites, bacteria, viruses. However, this system is not always a "total fix", as bore water chemistry is incredibly complex, and sometimes may not even be treatable. Yet another common misconception we often encounter is that carbon can filter out anything and everything – but unfortunately, carbon doesn’t kill bacteria or remove minerals, salts and other such dissolved inorganic substances!
We STRONGLY recommend that you get your bore water tested to determine if there are any underlying issues in the water chemistry of your bore, before you make any purchases or try to filter it.