Its important that RO membranes are kept wet, if the membrane is allowed to dry out it will be permanently damaged and fail to function correctly, that said you do not have to run them 24/7.

 

To keep the membrane wet you can install RO taps on the outlet and drain pipes that you can shut off to prevent water draining from the unit when not in use for long periods. Alternitively the pipe work can be raised above the unit so it can not drain when not in use. We suggest the unit is flushed for 5-10 minutes each week to insure the membrane stays wet and bacteria that may start to grow within the unit get flushed out.

 

We also suggest that when turning on the unit to produce water for use, the first 5-10 minutes is sent to waste. This inital water as the membrane flushes can be subject to the effects of TDS creep.