The city's RO plant vs. RO under your sink
| Hialeah RO plant | Under-sink RO | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Brackish water from the Upper Floridan Aquifer, about 1,400 feet deep | Your treated tap water |
| Share of supply | Part of Hialeah's water; most is purchased from Miami-Dade County | All the water from the RO faucet |
| After treatment | pH adjusted, chlorine added, sent through the city's pipes | Goes straight to your glass |
| Purpose | Producing public drinking water that meets standards | Taste and drinking water polish at one faucet |
Source facts are from Miami-Dade County's 2024 Water Quality Report and the City of Hialeah's water quality reports.
Why Hialeah families choose RO for drinking water
- The disinfectant taste disappears from drinking water, coffee and cooking water.
- No more carrying jugs home from the store; see the bottled water vs. RO calculator.
- Living Water's units are alkaline RO, adding minerals back after the membrane for taste. Compare alkaline vs. standard RO.
For any specific contaminant, check that the exact model is certified for it under the relevant NSF/ANSI standard.
Great for apartments and rentals
Hialeah has many apartments and rented homes where tenants cannot change the main plumbing. Under-sink RO stays inside the unit: it connects to the cold water line and drain under the kitchen sink and adds a small faucet. Get the owner's permission first. Property owners with several units can put one in each kitchen.
What the installation needs
- Cabinet space for the filter stages and, on tank models, a small storage tank.
- A cold water connection and a working shutoff valve.
- A drain connection for the concentrate water RO sends away.
- A faucet location on the sink or countertop.
Jorge checks all of this during the free test. For tank vs. tankless designs, see tankless vs. tank RO.
RO alone or with a whole-home system?
RO only treats the faucet it is connected to. If the disinfectant smell in the shower or laundry bothers you too, a whole-home system covers the rest of the house. Many homeowners use both; renters usually start with RO.
https://www.miamidade.gov/water/library/reports/water-quality-2024.pdf
https://www.hialeahfl.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=75
https://www.hialeahfl.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=534
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist