For all your water or drinking water? We have a Culligan RO system for our drinking water, but I'm not aware of any reasons it would be hard on things.

It’s not the drinking water I’m concerned about. The neighbors told me the RO water has been hard on ice machines, hot water heaters, and anyone with copper pipes has had water leaks. I’m asking what can be done in construction to minimize these issues.

RO water is aggressive - esp to metal. You can do a couple of things:

1. you can use PEX plumbing with minimal metal in contact with the water

2. You can treat the water to raise the PH and re-introduce some minerals into it. I'm pretty sure a calcite ph filter would do what you need.

I don't have experience with #2 - but I think it's a pretty straightforward thing. You may need a sample of water from your neighbors to get it tested for PH. A local water treatment company should be able to steer you in the right direction. You probably want to get it tested so you know what the water supplier is already doing to the water.

Yep, I get it. I was just stating I'd not heard of it in another capacity, other than drinking water. Apparently I should've kept my big yap shut or added that someone else would probably know more about it.

@Midwest (4b IA) There are some (very few) utilities that provide RO water - usually because they are dealing with water supply that isn't otherwise potable (think an island or similar).

Folsom CA is experiencing copper pipe pin holes from “too pure water”.

High ph (9) and chlorine.

Do you have a water analysis report?