Living out on the West side and close to agricultural land (a lot of folk live adjacent to…read moreagricultural land on Oahu) its a no-brainer to think about water and air quality. Air quality aside, water quality in Hawaii is assumed to be a safe, potable water source which it very well is by national standards.
However, in light of all of the concern with the Red Hill spills and a lot of industrial activity going on in both town side and the west side, agricultural activities have been going on much longer and the regulations of such activity came too late, as is always the case.
Recent news articles citing the presence of PFAS, pesticides and other organic, stable compounds in groundwater is a cause of concern and you can bet it won't get any better - this is where water filtration comes to play. Some may think that a simple, detachable water filter at the faucet head or a pitcher with a replaceable filter is enough to filter out chemicals that are a cause for concern z and they do, but not all of 'em. You need, at the very least, a reverse osmosis system...this appears to be the most practical and most affordable solution to the issue.
Pono revival fills a special niche in water filtration because they focus on (for now) under-the-counter reverse osmosis systems that have a activated carbon pre-filter system, then the reverse osmosis system and finished off with an alkaline mineral injection system which utilized natural sources of alkalinity (i.e., dolomite that contain potassium- and magnesium-bicarbonate) which not only adds great taste but helps to mimic water sourced from natural River beds is, generally, beyond the reach of many city folk on Oahu.
Pono Revival was able to concisely explain their processes and capabilitied, their philosophy and were able to answer most, if not partially all of my questions. They are made up of a husband and wife team who are approachable and honest and do not try to sell you a product right off the bat. Instead, they challenge you to something that is very tangible: try their drinking water, as much as you'd like. If you like what you can taste and feel, then you can consider their offerings which include what was mentioned above as well as a water softener attachment for shower heads.
Lastly, their system is NSF certified up to the alkaline cartridges which they claim are certified (didn't ask to see the cert.). This system is different from alkaline water which utilize electrolysis to chemically alter water molecules to create alkaline water because you end up with more dissolved solvent (which are unknown). With a reverse osmosis system, you bring that dissolved solvent concentration down to near-zero and inject natural alkaline ions which are bioavailable when ingested with water which supposedly has a myriad of positive health effects.
My wife and I opted for the reverse-osmosis system for now and have enjoyed every cup and flask-full. We will consider the water softener at another time - this review may be updated if thats the case.
Unfortunately they do not offer whole-home systems and there are other companies that may suit your needs in this regard. In my opinion, Pono Revival offers a quality product, excellent customer service, and look to be a promising company for the future.
The install was clean and non-destructive. The owner, himself, came out to replace our old faucet with one that imo is of better quality and has a water spigot (see photos). The holding tank under the sink holds about 3 gallons and can be refilled in about an hour after being emptied. Whats great about this is that you can fill up your bottles and buckets ahead of an incoming storm or other disaster.
I highly recommend this company. Visit their shop - at the very least you get a nice, refreshing cup of water.
