EPRO Marks Its 50th Anniversary
Environmental Products Reverse Osmosis USA (EPRO) was founded in 1976 by Robert Murphey Sr. in Englewood, Florida, with a vision of providing affordable, high-quality reverse osmosis systems. Operating from its original facility on Paul Morris Drive, the company quickly established itself as an innovator in the water treatment industry, producing some of the industry’s first product catalogs and brochures in-house.
Home reverse osmosis systems became increasingly popular in Florida during the 1980s and 1990s as advances in membrane technology made them more affordable and effective. Demand was driven by common water quality challenges, including hard water, brackish groundwater, sulfur odors, and high levels of dissolved solids. Florida’s leadership in reverse osmosis technology, including the commissioning of the first large-scale municipal reverse osmosis drinking water plant in Cape Coral in 1977 helped accelerate adoption throughout the state.
This growing market created significant opportunities for manufacturers such as EPRO, which expanded alongside the increasing demand for residential water treatment solutions. As concerns about water quality continued to rise, EPRO was well-positioned to provide reliable, affordable reverse osmosis systems to homeowners throughout Florida and beyond.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, EPRO experienced significant growth, achieving its first million-dollar sales month in 1992 and earning a reputation for dependable water treatment solutions. In 1997, the company expanded into a new facility in Venice to support its rapidly growing customer base.
According to Michael Morosi, EPRO Sales Specialist:
It’s phenomenal to see how our RO systems have evolved over the years. When we started, we were among the first companies offering systems like ours. I’ve witnessed tremendous changes in the industry, especially during the 1990s when the market really began to take off. Our growth was so rapid that we desperately needed a much larger facility. At one point, we had to arrive two hours early every day to move equipment and components outside just to create enough workspace. Then, at the end of the day, we had to move everything back into the building before heading home.
Morosi credits much of EPRO’s success to the relationships built over the years.
The best part has always been the people I’ve met along the way. What started as a family-owned business grew through the relationships we built with customers, partners, and colleagues over the last 35 years. We’ve shipped systems all over the world—from national research laboratories and major tech campuses in California. We’ve fulfilled everything from single-system orders to large international projects involving hundreds of systems, including shipments to Saudi Arabia.
The arrival of e-commerce in the early 2000s created new opportunities for growth.
When online sales first emerged, we had to think differently about how we did business,” Morosi recalls. “After our first online order, our manager could hardly believe someone would purchase an RO system over the internet.
Today, a significant portion of customer interactions begin online, whether through new system inquiries, replacement parts requests, technical support, or referrals to local representatives and dealers.
EPRO’s commitment to long-term customer support remains one of the company’s defining strengths. Many systems installed decades ago continue to operate successfully today.
Larry Hayward, Regional Sales Manager, reflects on the longevity of EPRO’s products:
It’s remarkable that many of the systems we sold more than 25 years ago are still operating today. We remain committed to supporting every system with expert technical assistance and readily available replacement parts, helping customers maximize the longevity and value of their investment.
In 2014, EPRO became part of Newterra, continuing its legacy of delivering dependable reverse osmosis technology through a network of in-house sales professionals, dealers, manufacturers’ representatives, contractors, and direct customer relationships.
Half a century after its founding, EPRO continues to offer a robust line of reverse osmosis water treatment systems designed to produce high-purity water for residential, commercial, municipal, and industrial applications. The systems remove dissolved solids, minerals, bacteria, and other contaminants using advanced semi-permeable membrane technology.
Today, EPRO offers reverse osmosis systems from 500 to 175,000 GPD for a wide range of water treatment applications. As part of Newterra, EPRO continues its 50-year legacy of providing reliable, high-performance water treatment solutions worldwide.
(above left) EPRO founder Robert Murphy Sr. poses with the all-new line of reverse osmosis (RO) systems at the Englewood, Florida facility in 1976. (above right) A look at the evolution of EPRO reverse osmosis (RO) system materials and technology through the years.
