You can drink RO water, and that is what a reverse osmosis system is built to produce. The question usually comes from something read about minerals being stripped out, which is true but is not the risk people imagine. The real hazard with reverse osmosis water is a system nobody has serviced, because the neglected parts sit between the membrane and your glass.
Why the question comes up at all
Reverse osmosis removes dissolved substances without discriminating between the ones you were worried about and the calcium and magnesium that were harmless. That produces water with very low mineral content, which some people read as unnatural. In practice drinking water is a small contributor of those minerals compared with food, and reverse osmosis water is used as an everyday household supply across the country.
The mineral question, and the easy fix
If flat taste bothers you, or you want some mineral content back for coffee, most manufacturers sell a remineralization cartridge that fits on the outlet after the storage tank. It adds a controlled amount of mineral back and restores some body to the taste. It is a preference feature rather than a safety one, and it adds one more cartridge to the replacement schedule.
The real risk is a neglected system
A reverse osmosis unit has prefilters that load up with sediment, a carbon stage that eventually stops adsorbing, a membrane that degrades, and a storage tank holding standing water. Left unserviced for years, the stages stop protecting each other and the tank becomes the weakest link. Change cartridges on the maker's schedule and sanitize the system when you do a full filter change, and none of that applies.
Where reverse osmosis is not enough on its own
Reverse osmosis is a physical barrier, not a disinfection process, so a private well with a bacteria problem needs that problem addressed at the source rather than at the kitchen faucet. Households with someone immunocompromised should treat microbiological safety as its own decision, usually with disinfection ahead of the drinking water system. Our well water testing guide covers what to test before you rely on any of it.
Questions people ask about can you drink ro water
Is RO water safe for babies and pets?
It is used for both in ordinary households. Follow your formula maker's instructions for infants, since fluoride content is part of that decision.
Should I add minerals back to RO water?
Only if you want to. A remineralization cartridge improves taste and coffee extraction, but plain reverse osmosis water is drinkable exactly as it comes out.
How do I know the system is still working?
Track the filter change dates and compare the treated faucet against the untreated tap with a lab test occasionally. Taste alone is a poor indicator.