Although the South African government will state that “according to the 2011 National Census, 91.2% of households had access to piped water, either inside their own homes or yards or from communal taps,â€
More to the point, however, is the quality of drinking water in South Africa. Once again, the government states that the quality of water is good [Source: Blue Drop Report]. In a 2012 statement, then minister of water and environmental affairs Edna Molewa, said “The certificate is awarded as an acknowledgement of Excellent Drinking Water Quality management which surpasses the requirements of national norms and standards by a significant margin†[Source: Department of Water Affairs].
The reality is that although the government claims that the quality of drinking water in South Africa is improving, there are many that will vociferously disagree and state that it is far worse than it was in 1994. This can be attributed to aging water pipes and a lack of training. Current infrastructure is responsible for 36.8% of South Africa’s municipal water being lost on the way to customers.
Water Coolers for Home
The state of the drinking water over the past few years has for the first time made South Africans think about investing in home water coolers. This is significant, as even the thought of water coolers in South Africa, be it home water coolers or office water coolers, was not even on the horizon a few years ago.
Consumers are complaining that the water is not clear, tastes bad, and smells bad. Around 7.5% of the consumers believe that SA drinking water is unfit to drink. This has led to a rise in consumers drinking more bottled water or installing filters on their taps at home.
Consumers that are dissatisfied with the tap water are turning to home water coolers as they realise that apart from the fact that a home water cooler delivers far better tasting and smelling water, the water is also cooled, which is a boon in the hot South African weather.
There are quite a few water companies that offer a vast range of home water coolers as well as office water coolers. They offer bottled water coolers, bottleless water coolers, reverse osmosis water coolers, and mains or point-of-use water coolers.
Tips on Buying Home Water Coolers in South Africa
When deciding on which home water cooler to purchase, it is important that you take certain things into consideration; what type of water cooler would best suit your particular situation, the amount of people the water cooler must serve, and budget.
Types of Water Coolers
- Bottle-less Water Coolers: This water cooler is plumbed directly into your main water line. The temperature and flow of water is adjusted at the time of filtration
- Bottled Water Coolers: A bottled water cooler is a unit that has an interchangeable bottle on the top which dispenses cool, refreshing water at the push of a button or lever
- Floor standing Water Cooler: This is a water cooler that stands on the floor and often has the option of icy cold or steaming hot water. This option is popular with larger offices and home where there is a big family and with those that take part in sports or exercise regimens regularly
- Counter Top Water Cooler: This option is great for small offices and as a home water cooler where there are not many people
Whichever type of home water cooler you decide on, make sure that the water company that you use is a reputable one and that if you are using a bottled water cooler, they have a dependable water delivery schedule.
Sources:
