APEC ROES-PH75 for PFAS, a Drinking Faucet and a Refrigerator: How It Fits and What Else to Compare

For a kitchen that wants one RO system feeding a drinking faucet and a refrigerator, the APEC ROES-PH75 can do both jobs: APEC's manual shows a tee on the line to the faucet that sends the same treated water to an ice maker, and an ice-maker kit is offered as an option at checkout. It is a 6-stage tanked system rated at 75 GPD, with a final calcium carbonate stage that raises pH. On PFAS, APEC lists PFAS, PFOS, PFOA and GenX among the contaminants on the product page, while the system's certification record, a WQA listing under NSF/ANSI 58, covers TDS reduction.

On the refrigerator side, the tank is the variable to watch. Delivery pressure from a tanked RO falls as the tank empties, and APEC's own manual calls for at least 50 psi of incoming water pressure to a non-pump system when the ice maker has a minimum supply-pressure requirement. A tankless system such as the Viomi M1 takes a different route, making water on demand for both outlets, and SGS has tested it for PFOS and PFOA reduction.

What the APEC ROES-PH75 Is Built Around

The ROES-PH75 belongs to APEC's Essence line. Water passes six stages: a sediment pre-filter, two carbon block pre-filters, a thin-film composite RO membrane, a coconut shell carbon post-filter, and a sixth-stage calcium carbonate filter (APEC part FI-PHPLUS-QC). APEC describes that last stage as adding "high-purity calcium carbonate to effectively raise pH in the water for those who desire alkaline water." It sits after the storage tank, so water passes stages five and six on its way to the faucet.

Output is rated at 75 gallons per day at 60 psi and 77°F, for feed water between 40 and 100°F. That water collects in a 4-gallon pressurized tank measuring 11 x 11 x 15 inches. For a refrigerator line, the tank's real capacity is the figure to know, and APEC's manual is specific about it: 4 gallons is the tank's total volume, including the air space, and the water it holds rises with incoming pressure, from about 1.9 gallons at 40 psi to about 3.1 gallons at 70 psi and above. In a home with 40 psi of incoming pressure, the stored water is less than half of the tank's 4-gallon size.

The box holds the parts for the under-sink setup: a lead-free designer faucet, the tank, quick-connect fittings, tubing, a feed water adapter and a drain saddle. Once the system is running, replacement intervals differ by stage. The pre-filters and the calcium stage are changed every 6 to 12 months, while the membrane (on municipal water) and the carbon post-filter each last 2 to 4 years. APEC's warranty covers the system for 1 year, excluding used cartridges and membranes.

PFAS and the ROES-PH75: Product Page and Certification Record

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), PFOS, PFOA and GenX all sit on the ROES-PH75's "Guaranteed to Remove" list, a product-page list of more than 50 items that also includes lead, fluoride, arsenic and nitrate. Certification is described more narrowly on the same page: "Our reverse osmosis system has been tested for TDS reduction." The WQA database agrees, listing the ROES-PH75 under NSF/ANSI 58 with TDS as its reduction claim.

Reverse osmosis is a recognized approach to PFAS. According to the EPA's fact sheet on home filters, it is among the filter types that "can be effective at reducing PFAS." For public water systems, the agency identified reverse osmosis, along with granular activated carbon, anion exchange and nanofiltration, as a best available technology for meeting its PFAS limits. Those limits come from the EPA's 2024 drinking water rule, which set enforceable levels of 4.0 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS in public water systems. As of April 2024, filter certifications for PFAS focused on PFOA and PFOS, the agency noted.

Running a Refrigerator Line From the ROES-PH75

In APEC's manual, the refrigerator hookup starts with a tee fitting on the clear line between the sixth-stage outlet and the faucet, so the faucet and the ice maker draw the same water, with extra 1/4-inch tubing to reach the refrigerator and a shut-off valve on that line. Even a kitchen that only wants RO water at the fridge keeps the faucet in the plan: APEC recommends connecting the RO faucet as a second outlet, so the tank can be drained and new filters flushed through the faucet rather than the ice-maker line.

Feeding several outlets works best, by the manual's account, with a model that fills its tank quickly and fully for the home's water pressure, since a full tank gives good delivery pressure. No more than three outlets is the suggested limit, with total tubing within 20 feet horizontally and 10 feet vertically from the system, and a shut-off valve on each extra line.

Delivery pressure at the refrigerator comes from the stored water and tracks the tank's fill level, about 50 psi with 3 gallons stored and dropping as the stored water is drawn down. For an ice maker with a minimum supply-pressure requirement, APEC calls for at least 50 psi of incoming pressure to a non-pump system, and the manual separately notes that a permeate pump can be added to boost the output pressure of purified water.

Where the ROES-PH75 Fits

The ROES-PH75 suits a household with good incoming pressure, cabinet room for a separate tank, and a preference for calcium-mineralized water. APEC's FAQ notes that reverse osmosis on its own has "very minimal effect on water pH chemistry" and points to a calcite filter for households that want higher alkalinity, which is the role the ROES-PH75's sixth stage fills. The calcium stage is a single inline cartridge, and the system as a whole is listed by WQA under NSF/ANSI 58 for TDS reduction. For PFAS, APEC's product-page contaminant list is where the model's claim appears.

A Tankless Alternative for the Faucet and the Fridge

A tankless RO system takes a different approach to the same two outlets: it makes purified water on demand with an internal booster pump instead of drawing from stored water. The Viomi M1 combines that design with a mineral stage and third-party PFOS and PFOA testing.

In this kitchen, the Viomi M1 handles both jobs from one unit, with no storage tank to place under the sink. Purified water goes to its own faucet and, over standard tubing, to a compatible refrigerator or ice maker, and Multi-device Mode in the Viomi app is set up to serve the faucet and the refrigerator together. The same app tracks water use and sends replacement reminders when filters are due.

For the PFAS question, the evidence comes from SGS, which has performance-tested the Viomi M1 for PFOS and PFOA reduction under SGS certificate PT/25/GEN/0311, with PFOS reduction above 99.67% and PFOA reduction above 99.42%. Lead reduction above 99.87% was also tested by SGS. After purification, the M1 reintroduces selected naturally sourced minerals for a cleaner, smoother taste in drinking water, coffee, tea and cooking. The table below sets the rest of its specifications beside the ROES-PH75.

The Viomi M1 ships with its installation fittings, and step-by-step installation videos cover each stage at the sink. Other tanked and tankless models are compared in a guide to under-sink reverse osmosis brands.

FAQ

Will a refrigerator on an RO line make ice more slowly?

The fill depends on the pressure reaching the refrigerator. On a tanked system like the ROES-PH75, that pressure follows the tank: APEC's manual lists about 50 psi with 3 gallons stored and lower readings as the tank draws down. GE Appliances notes that heavy use at an RO faucet can draw a storage tank down far enough that the ice maker receives too little water, depending on when the ice maker cycles. APEC's manual also notes that a permeate pump can be added to boost output pressure.

Does the ROES-PH75's alkaline stage affect the refrigerator?

In APEC's plumbing diagram, the tee for the ice maker sits after the sixth-stage outlet, so the refrigerator receives the same calcium-stage water as the faucet. APEC's product page says RO water improves the flavor of coffee, tea and ice cubes.

Where does the storage tank go?

Under the sink, beside the filter assembly. APEC's manual calls for about 17 x 6 x 18 inches for the system and 11 inches across by 18 inches high for the tank, and notes the tank can lie on its side if needed.

How should PFAS evidence be compared between RO systems?

By the model and the substances each document names. Certification listings, independent lab reports and product-page contaminant lists each name specific substances for a specific model, and for a PFAS decision the useful entries are the ones that name PFOA and PFOS.

Planning an RO Line for Both the Faucet and the Fridge

1. Tubing length shapes the layout, so measure the distance from the sink cabinet to the refrigerator's water inlet, both along the floor and up any walls.
2. If you lean toward a tanked system, note your incoming water pressure, since APEC's ice-maker guidance for the ROES-PH75 is built around that number.
3. Count the outlets the RO will serve, such as the drinking faucet, the refrigerator and a separate ice maker, before settling on a layout.
4. A refrigerator that carries an internal cartridge has its own replacement schedule to keep in mind alongside the RO filters when planning upkeep.
5. Peak times deserve a thought too, since mornings with coffee, bottles and an ice maker refilling at once show how much output both outlets need together.