Reverse Osmosis for Ocala Drinking Water
One faucet, filtered hard. RO is the drinking-water answer for both well owners and city customers.
Reverse osmosis forces water through a membrane that rejects most dissolved salts and many contaminants. HomeAdvisor lists under-sink systems at $200–$800 plus $100–$300 to install, and whole-home RO at $1,000–$4,800. Around Ocala it's used for drinking water on wells and to reduce PFAS on city water.
On a private well
Nitrate is one of the two tests FDOH recommends every year for private wells, and it's a common reason well owners add drinking-water treatment. RO systems tested to NSF/ANSI Standard 58 can be rated for nitrate reduction; check the listing for the specific contaminant. RO does not replace disinfection: treat bacteria with the methods on the well water treatment page first.
On city water
City of Ocala water is already softened and chlorinated. RO at the sink removes most of what's left, including the sodium the city reports at up to 10.2 ppm and nitrate at up to 1.8 ppm in its latest testing. For people who want to reduce PFAS in drinking water ahead of the city's planned compliance work, an RO system rated for PFOA and PFOS reduction is a common choice.
Choosing a system
- Efficiency. Newer high-efficiency units waste about 1 gallon per gallon filtered; older ones up to 4 (HomeAdvisor).
- Stages. Most systems use three to seven stages; more stages cost more.
- Maintenance. Filters every 6 to 12 months, about $40 to $300 a year; membranes every two to five years, $30 to $100.
- Space. An under-sink unit needs room for housings, a small tank and a drain connection.
Taste and minerals after RO
RO strips out most dissolved minerals, and some people find the water tastes flat. A remineralization cartridge adds a little calcium and magnesium back; HomeAdvisor lists alkaline remineralization kits at $150 to $300. RO also removes most fluoride. The City of Ocala's 2025 report lists fluoride at 0.15 ppm, so on city water there is little to remove either way.
Whole-home RO
HomeAdvisor places whole-home systems at $1,000 to $4,800 and says they suit homes on well water, rainwater, or water with high contaminant levels. They treat every tap but need a storage tank, a repressurizing pump and a plan for the reject water. For most Ocala homes, one under-sink unit at the kitchen does the job. Prices for both sit on the Ocala water treatment price guide.
Questions homeowners ask
Does RO water need a softener in front of it?
On hard well water, pretreatment helps the membrane last. On already-softened city water, most homes install RO on its own.
Does RO remove sulfur smell from well water?
Not reliably, and it only treats one faucet. Hydrogen sulfide is a gas, so FDOH's list of odor fixes (aeration, oxidation, carbon, disinfection) is where to start for the whole house.
Ask for a free water test in Ocala
Say whether you're on a private well or city water and what you're noticing: smell, stains, scale or taste. A local water treatment specialist serving Ocala phones you back.