For installations in high use areas such as large factories, swimming pools or other public areas, the standard office style water cooler may not be appropriate. For these areas the Aquacooler Water Fountain is a known industry leader. This is a stainless steel, high quality water dispenser that is well suited to high traffic areas.

The water is delivered via a push bubbler tap with an optional glass filler. This is great for canteens.

We can offer this water cooler on a rental or outright purchase option - just ask!

There are many different types and styles of water cooler available which can sometimes become a bit confusing for the rest of the world out there that is not living and breathing water coolers!

Here is a simple guide.

Bottled Water Coolers

First off we have the old fashioned bottled cooler which is very popular and characteristically is free standing, white and has a blue bottle that sits on top. Convenience is the main benefit however the major downsides are that there's a massive environmental impact from having heavy water bottles constantly delivered (often from 100's km's away and often just from the public supply), they are less hygienic as they are an open system and you have the continual problem of changing, storing and lifting bottles.

There is a better solution to having bottles delivered though as special filter bottles are now available. These allow you to use a bottled water cooler without the need for the deliveries as you simply top up the system yourself.

Point of Use Water Coolers

These are often called POU or plumbed in water coolers and they simply attach into your existing water supply and filter the water before use. This then provides a safe, unlimited supply of water, at a fraction of the cost. They also eradicate all of the problems with the old style bottled water cooler listed above.

There are many different types of POU coolers - from conventional free standing coolers to bubblers and fountains designed for higher use, more public areas and industrial applications.

There are also many different ways of filtering and processing the water prior to delivery but this is for another day!

Some Others Types

Many homes and businesses now have under-sink units that provide a filtered and often chilled drinking water that is integrated into the kitchen sink area.

Recently 'Air to Water' systems have come on the market that provide water by extracting it from the air. This is nifty technology however there are 3 main problems - cost, speed of production and they are relatively heavy power users.

Many businesses and people own their water coolers, which is great and avoids rental payments but they must ensure that they sanitise and service the cooler on a regular basis. It can easily be overlooked and it is common for the water cooler to become a hidden reservoir of bacteria if not attended too regularly.

Cleaning and sanitising the water cooler is relatively straightforward however you do need to get into all the hidden pipes and tubes to ensure the waterways are kept healthy for your staff and family.

Of course the best way is to have a service agreement with a local water cooler company, that way you don't have to worry about remembering and also they should do it properly. There are also many self-sanitising kits around and we can certainly help out if you're looking for assistance. Our service department can be reached on 1300 633 176 at any time.

We have recently launched a new water cooler offer page on our website targeted to all our internet enquiries.

This new page can be found here.

I read a recent C-Net article that described a new water filter that is now available from Hammacher Schlemmer that can filter up to 25,000 gallons (94,500 L) of water. It is claimed that this is enough for a family of four for a period of 10 years!

Our standard filters have a service life of around 12,000 litres, however although the filter capacity is important, another key aspect is that over time, water systems can develop bacterial growth and should be regularly sanitised and cleaned. Filters are no exception and should be replaced regularly to avoid bacterial build up - regardless of filter capacity.

Personally I would never want to drink from a water filter that has been on a system for 10 years.