What to consider when choosing a drinking water fountain?
There are lots of issues to be considered when choosing a water fountain, not only price as there are many types available.
Typically drinking water fountains because they use direct chill chilling have an adequate chilling capacity (from 18 to 50 litres per hour of chilled water depending upon your budget and wallet size). Because water fountains allow users to fill bottles easily, the chilling capacity can become a big issue in larger offices and only last week a client was explaining how on their old fountain it became a race in the mornings to fill one’s bottle before the chilling runs out.
The filter you require for your drinking water fountain will depend upon your areas water quality, but typically a Living-Water triple action water filter is easily sufficient.
Hygiene is a major factor if going down the water fountain route – there is nothing nicer than at the Virgin Active gym, drinking either directly from the fountain or filling your own bottle from the tap. This is a pleasant experience because at Virgin Active the cleaner cleans the cooler regularly and keeps it in pristine conditions.
Contrast this to the drinking water fountain located at a school I recently visited, it was frankly filthy and completely unappetising – the headmaster even explained how many staff did not want to drink from it, yet here it was supplied to the pupils.
Water fountains are trickier than water coolers to install as they require drainage and this needs to also be considered.
Sometimes even a free standing water cooler will require drainage plumbing if its in a largely used area. It is for this reason a University in South London client explained to me that they choose two Pure water fountains for their very large and well used dining room. They chose the Pure because it still allows students to fill up sports bottles but felt it provides a more hygienic option than a fountain.
Ultimately the choice is up to the customer as to what type of cooler to install. Suffice to say both offer viable alternatives.
