In reverse osmosis systems, what is the consequence of having a high percentage of reject water?

In reverse osmosis systems, having a high percentage of reject water indicates that a larger volume of water is being discarded because it contains the contaminants and impurities that the system is designed to remove. This high reject rate directly translates to increased waste, as more water is treated and subsequently rejected rather than being converted into purified water.

The system’s efficiency is not necessarily improved, as a high reject rate could suggest that the system is struggling to maintain optimal performance. Water quality typically improves with lower reject rates since more of the feed water is being converted into purified water. Furthermore, increased waste typically leads to higher operating costs, as additional energy and resources are required to manage, treat, and dispose of the reject water.

Thus, the consequence of having a high percentage of reject water primarily results in increased waste disposal, emphasizing the need for operators to find a balance between efficiency and waste management in their reverse osmosis systems.