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How this review was put together: from APEC’s product page and the ROES-PHUV75 owner’s manual, and the Water Quality Association’s and NSF’s public certification listings (links in “Sources” at the end). We have not tested this system ourselves. How we review. Last checked 28 October 2026.
The short version
The ROES-PHUV75 is APEC’s ROES-PH75 with one extra stage: an ultraviolet (UV) lamp after the RO membrane. Otherwise it is the same design: three pre-filters, a 75-gallon-per-day membrane, a 4-gallon storage tank, a carbon polishing filter and a calcite stage that raises the pH and adds a little calcium for taste. The UV lamp needs an electrical outlet under the sink and a new bulb every year.
The detail that matters most: the ROES-PHUV75 has no certification listing. Its sibling, the ROES-PH75, is WQA-certified to NSF/ANSI 58 (for TDS only). The UV version isn’t on WQA’s APEC listing or in NSF’s directory, and the UV stage has no certification of its own. Its contaminant and “99.99% of bacteria” claims are APEC’s.
See the APEC ROES-PHUV75 on Amazon (paid link)
ROES-PHUV75 or ROES-PH75?
| ROES-PHUV75 | ROES-PH75 | |
|---|---|---|
| Stages | 7 (adds UV after the membrane) | 6 |
| Certification | None found (WQA or NSF) | WQA Gold Seal, NSF/ANSI 58, TDS reduction |
| Electricity | Needed for the UV lamp (110 V transformer) | None |
| Extra yearly part | UV bulb (UVBULB-SS, 4-pin) | None |
| System height | 18.5 in | 17.5 in |
| Membrane, tank, pre-filters | Same: MEM-ES-75 membrane, 4-gallon tank, FILTER-SET-ES pre-filters | |
Our take: on chlorinated city water, the UV stage adds cost, a power cord and a yearly bulb for little practical gain, and you give up the certified model. It makes more sense as an extra safeguard where the water is already safe but you want an extra layer for stored RO water. It is not a fix for an untreated or contaminated well (see below).
Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere
A good fit if you
- Want APEC’s standard-size housings and remineralised RO water, and like the idea of a UV stage as an extra layer.
- Have incoming pressure of about 50 psi or more and an outlet under the sink.
- Are happy to rely on the maker’s data rather than a certification listing.
Probably not the right pick if you
- Want a certified system. Choose the ROES-PH75 (TDS) or a system with broader certified claims (see alternatives).
- Need to make unsafe water safe. APEC’s own manual says not to use the system on water that is microbiologically unsafe or of unknown quality without adequate disinfection. A whole-house disinfection system, chosen after a lab test, is the right tool for that.
- Have low pressure (under about 40 psi). APEC recommends a pumped model.
Key specifications
From APEC’s product page and the ROES-PHUV75 owner’s manual.
| Spec | ROES-PHUV75 | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Under-sink RO with storage tank, no pump, UV stage | Water production runs on house pressure; only the UV lamp needs power. |
| Stages | Sediment, carbon block, carbon block, RO membrane, UV, coconut-shell carbon post-filter, calcite pH filter | |
| Membrane rating | 75 gallons per day at 60 psi, 77°F | A membrane rating, not certified output. For comparison, the certified ROES-PH75 produced 27.9 gpd in WQA’s test. |
| Tank | 4 gallon total volume | Usable water depends on pressure (next table). |
| Feed pressure | 40–85 psi | |
| Feed water temperature | 40–100°F, cold line only | |
| Max feed TDS | 2,000 ppm | |
| Feed pH | 2.0–11.0 | |
| System size | 15.5 × 5.25 × 18.5 in; tank about 11 × 11 × 15 in | Plus room for the UV transformer near an outlet. |
| Warranty | 1-year limited (owner’s manual) | Check APEC’s current terms when you buy. |
How full the tank gets at different water pressures
APEC’s manual gives these figures for its non-pumped systems with the 4-gallon tank:
| Your incoming pressure | Approximate water in tank |
|---|---|
| 70 psi or more | about 3.1 gallons (nearly full) |
| 60 psi | about 2.8 gallons |
| 50 psi | about 2.5 gallons |
| 40 psi | about 1.9 gallons (around half) |
Delivery pressure also falls as the tank empties, from about 50 psi with 3 gallons stored to 5 psi when empty. APEC says an ice maker needing 20–30 psi needs at least 50 psi coming into the system.
Certification: what was verified
Status: not certified. On 28 October 2026:
- WQA’s listing for APEC Water Systems covers the RO-90, RO-Hi, RO-PH90, ROES-100, ROES-50 and ROES-PH75. The ROES-PHUV75 is not listed. WQA listing for APEC Water Systems.
- NSF’s drinking-water directory returned no match for “ROES-PHUV75”.
- The UV stage has no listing under NSF/ANSI 55, the standard for UV systems. APEC’s statement that the UV stage “destroys up to 99.99%” of bacteria and viruses is the maker’s own claim.
What that means: the membrane, housings and pre-filters are the same parts as the WQA-certified ROES-PH75, so it is reasonable to expect similar RO performance. But no certifier has tested this configuration, and there is no certified claim for anything beyond what the ROES-PH75 carries, which is TDS only.
What we like and what to weigh up
Strengths
- Standard 10-inch pre-filters, shared with the rest of APEC’s Essence range.
- Copes with tough feed water: up to 2,000 ppm TDS and a wide pH range.
- Remineralising stage for people who find plain RO water flat.
- A detailed manual with pressure tables, a filter schedule and troubleshooting.
Drawbacks
- No certification, unlike its non-UV sibling.
- Needs power under the sink, and APEC says to leave the UV lamp on all the time.
- The first cup can be warm. APEC’s manual notes that water sitting in the UV chamber heats up when the system is idle.
- Pressure-sensitive, like any non-pumped tank RO system.
- Water waste. APEC doesn’t publish an efficiency rating for this model.
Maintenance and running costs
APEC’s schedule, from the ROES-PHUV75 manual:
| Stage | Part | Replace |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 pre-filters | FILTER-SET-ES | Every 6–12 months (sooner on well water with sediment) |
| 4 membrane | MEM-ES-75 | City water: every 2–4 years. Well water: about every 2 years |
| 5 UV bulb | UVBULB-SS (4-pin) | Every 12 months; the bulb weakens after a year even if it still lights |
| 6 post-carbon | FI-ES-TCR-QC | Every 2–4 years; APEC suggests changing it with the membrane |
| 7 pH / mineral | FI-PHPLUS-QC (calcite) | Every 6–12 months |
| Housing O-rings | — | Yearly, or with each pre-filter change. APEC suggests new pre-filter housings every 5 years. |
What drives the cost: the same as the ROES-PH75 plus a UV bulb every year. Compare a three-year total for both models before deciding the UV stage is worth it. Prices change often, so we don’t quote them here.
Alternatives worth comparing
- Same system, certified, no UV: the APEC ROES-PH75.
- Want certified lead and fluoride claims? The iSpring RCC7AK-BLK or the Whirlpool WHER25, both NSF-listed under NSF/ANSI 58.
- Want certified PFOA/PFOS claims? The AquaTru Under Sink.
- Comparing them all: see our best under-sink reverse osmosis systems guide.
Common questions
Does the UV stage make well water safe to drink?
Not on its own, and APEC doesn’t say it does: its manual says not to use the system on microbiologically unsafe water or water of unknown quality without adequate disinfection. Test the well first. If bacteria are a problem, treat all the water coming into the house, not just one tap.
Does it remove PFAS?
RO is one of the technologies the EPA found can greatly reduce PFAS, but this model has no certified PFAS claim. See is there a water filter that removes forever chemicals?
Is the water “alkaline water”?
The calcite stage raises the pH and adds a little calcium for taste. APEC doesn’t publish an output pH, and it isn’t the same as an ionizer.
Check current availability of the APEC ROES-PHUV75 on Amazon (paid link)
Sources
- APEC: ROES-PHUV75 product page (specifications)
- APEC ROES-PHUV75 installation instructions and owner’s manual (PDF)
- Water Quality Association: Gold Seal listing, APEC Water Systems
- NSF International: listings search for “ROES-PHUV75”
- US EPA: Identifying drinking water filters certified to reduce PFAS