Chances are, you have seen a water cooler before – whether it was in the cafeteria at work, the waiting room at the dentist, or the lobby of a hotel. There’s an even greater chance that the water cooler you saw was a traditional, upside-down, 5-gallon water jug that dispenses hot and cold water through spigots.
Although traditional water coolers are functional, times have changed, and so have water coolers! They have gotten cleaner, sleeker, and healthier with point-of-use (POU) water filtration machines. Moreover, these advanced solutions for your workplace water supply mean your POU bottleless water cooler is plumbed directly into your existing water line — so your employees, guests, and customers can enjoy an endless supply of filtered drinking water whenever they need it.
We’re taking a closer look at everything you need to know about point-of-use, plumbed-in water coolers and how they can be beneficial to your workplace.
What Is a Point-of-Use Water Cooler?
A point-of-use water cooler, also known as a bottleless water cooler, differs greatly from the bottled coolers that came before. When it comes to point-of-use coolers, the water is filtered on-site, right in the machine, rather than pre-filtered and bottled at an off-site manufacturing plant, and then delivered to a home or business. Like traditional water coolers, point-of-use coolers’ primary function is to provide easy access to drinking water, with the added bonus that it doesn’t require a bottle to refill the tank. A more efficient drinking water system can help your organization avoid the hassles and costs associated with traditional delivery for overall better results.
How Does a Point-of-Use Dispenser Work?
A point-of-use water cooler connects directly to a building’s existing water line and delivers water straight from the municipal water supply. For this reason, you may hear it referred to as a plumbed-in water cooler. This doesn’t mean that the water cooler simply delivers tap water as a drinking fountain does; most point-of-use water coolers dispense water that has been filtered then chilled or heated within the water cooler. Not only do point-of-use water coolers dispense hot and cold water as needed, but there are also POU machines to consider that can provide sparkling water, flavored water, or ice.
What’s Different About a Point-of-Use Bottleless Water Cooler?
If you’ve been considering a bottleless water dispenser for your workplace, these improved solutions can provide a number of advantages over traditional bottled water options that are worthwhile to keep in mind. So, what exactly makes a plumbed-in water cooler unique from other drinking water systems, and why might you consider this option for your workplace?
POU water coolers are cleaner than traditional options
You don’t have to worry about germ-filled hands picking up a 5-gallon water jug and contaminating the mouth of the water bottle, or when the water cooler was last cleaned. Point-of-use water coolers are bottleless and can have advanced filtration and sanitization technologies that remove sediment, reduce chemical contaminants, and get rid of off-tastes and odors — as well as keep the outside (user interface) of the machine free of germs.
Point-of-use water is healthier than bottled water
5-gallon plastic water jugs can leach a chemical called BPA. Short for Bisphenol A, BPA has been linked to liver and prostate cancer, heart disease, and cognitive problems in addition to asthma and diabetes, per a study from the National Library of Medicine. Using a bottled water dispenser means your organization runs the risk of negatively impacting the health of your workforce and customers — which is unfavorable for your business outcomes in the long run. Point-of-use water coolers eliminate the need for 5-gallon plastic water jugs, so you can provide high-quality drinking water, without the health risks.
Renting a POU water cooler is more cost-effective
By filtering water at the source (your workplace’s tap), you skip the costs of bottling, packaging, and shipping water. Over 90% of bottled water’s cost is not the water, but the price of packaging and shipping it. While these prices can seem inconsequential at first glance, the culmination of manufacturing costs, along with the price of trucks, drivers, and fuel for delivering water jugs, are passed on to you — which quickly adds up. With a POU water dispenser, your business can avoid the inconveniences associated with traditional bottled water delivery while saving significantly along the way.
A plumbed-in dispenser is more convenient and hassle-free
Keeping an inventory of water bottles and/or 5-gallon water jugs takes time. Time spent away from your desk ordering, receiving, and changing water bottles. It also takes up valuable space storing the water bottles (full and empty). Many companies also tend to overlook the security implications of escorting a water delivery person through the building. Eliminate the hassle by getting a plumbed-in cooler that filters your water right at the source, so you’ll have unlimited water at your fingertips and never have to order bottled water again. This ultimately saves your employees valuable time that can be used for what’s most important — the work.
Point-of-use water coolers are bottleless
While eliminating the need for plastic bottles and 5-gallon water jugs, point-of-use water coolers correspondingly eliminate all the associated production and transportation pollution. Plus, they prevent the plastic from ending up in landfills and waterways. This is critical for your company’s environmental and carbon footprint, considering 54.9 million bottles are used every hour and 40 million bottles are used every month, per a report from Reuters.
POU coolers make water accessible
In areas where it is not possible or safe to store large water bottles, you now have the choice to install a point-of-use water cooler by simply adding it to your existing water line. Also, countertop point-of-use water coolers offer all the benefits of a larger water cooler without taking up any floor space. Not to mention all of the available options you can consider, which include hot, cold, and room temperature water, sparkling water, flavored water, and ice.
Plumbed-in water coolers are a unique and advanced option that can upgrade your workplace drinking water and provide access to an endless supply of purified water — which is likely to drive hydration throughout your workforce. As a result, your employees can see a host of benefits which include:
- Increased productivity: According to BIC Magazine, a 1% decrease in hydration has been linked to a 12% decrease in employee productivity. The proper water intake will be a necessity for your workforce to stay at peak performance, which will ultimately be a boon for your business.
- Boosted morale and job satisfaction: Dehydration is often associated with increased feelings of anxiety and depression. Water naturally stimulates the flow of nutrients and hormones that release endorphins in your brain to keep your workers and customers feeling happy. Promoting hydration will be a linchpin in improving morale and satisfaction throughout the company.
- Higher levels of energy throughout the day: By preventing the symptoms of fatigue and tiredness that come with dehydration, drinking water can help your workforce boost energy levels. With increased energy, your employees will be able to maintain maximum performance throughout the workday.
- Greater mental focus and improved cognitive function: Our bodies and brains are made up of mostly water, so it only makes sense that our water intake has a significant impact on how we perform and feel. According to Heights, proper hydration has been linked to faster decision-making, better concentration, improved focus, and stronger cognitive functioning across the board.
- Relieving numerous health risks associated with dehydration: Dehydration can be detrimental to your workforce’s health and well-being and leads to fatigue, dizziness, constipation, headaches, and more. Promoting hydration throughout your place of work can help your valuable team members and customers avoid these health risks moving forward.
The advantages of a bottleless water cooler over traditional options, in culmination with the unique benefits that proper hydration can provide, inevitably lead to better business results — which means it might be a great time to consider the switch.
Choosing Your Point-of-Use, Plumbed-in Water Cooler With Quench
With point-of-use water, plumbed-in water coolers, consumers now have a choice to drink fresh, filtered water straight from a building’s existing water supply, instead of having to order plastic bottled water coolers that can be germ-filled and leach chemicals. In our opinion, the hassle-free, germ-free, and chemical-free choice is the right one.
If you’re ready to elevate your workplace water supply with great-tasting, clean water, procure your bottleless water cooler with Quench®. Choosing your bottleless water dispenser with Quench means you receive all-inclusive services, including installation, annual preventive maintenance visits, and access to water experts that know your local water quality. You can explore our advanced suite of point-of-use water dispensers to find the machine that’s the right choice for your business, and rest assured that our well-qualified water experts and Quench technicians will be available to guarantee everything is working properly year-round.
To learn more about Quench’s point-of-use water coolers and discover which one is right for your workplace, check out our product finder!
