Switching to Bottleless Drinking Water Solutions — Which Water Cooler Is Best for Your Business?

Workplaces and organizations are responsible for ensuring the safety and welfare of their employees, guests, and customers, and providing drinking water is a key factor in achieving this. In fact, offering a healthy and safe water supply is a primary regulation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which ultimately helps maintain the optimal functioning of valuable team members. 

As a result, workplaces today are leveraging a variety of drinking water solutions to guarantee clean water is readily available. However, it’s important to note that there’s a wide range of water dispensers available, from the traditional hefty water jug to the bottleless water cooler — making it more difficult to determine which water cooler is best for your workplace and unique business needs. 

The right water cooler can ultimately make a significant difference in your productivity and efficiency, and, eventually, your bottom line. Read on to learn more about the water dispenser options available to workplaces and how to identify the water system that’s best suited for your business. 

Workplace Water Solutions — Leaving Bottled Water in the Past

The Importance of Drinking Water

Water is crucial for the survival of all living things, and, according to the United States Geological Survey, the adult human body is made up of 60% water, of which:

• The brain and heart are composed of 73% water
• Lungs consist of about 83% water
• The skin contains 64% water
• Water constitutes 79% of muscle and kidneys
• Bones are comprised of 31% water

Humans need to consume a certain amount of water every day to survive and these statistics highlight the importance of rehydrating to ensure the body is functioning properly, both physically and mentally. Considering how much of the human body is composed of water, it’s also essential to note what water intake actually does for the body. The CDC reports that water is fundamental to helping your body:

• Regulate body temperature
• Deliver oxygen throughout the body
• Protect your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues
• Form saliva to aid digestion
• Lubricate and cushion joints
• Keep mucosal membranes moist
• Get rid of waste and toxins through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements

With an understanding that water is a necessity for a majority of the body’s daily functions, it’s clear how a lack of proper water intake at work can have a significant impact on employee performance. And while many workplaces have relied on bottled water dispensers over the years to ensure employees have access to clean water, this likely isn’t the best option to support improved hydration efforts moving forward. 

The Problem With Bottled Water Coolers

Organizations that use a hefty gallon bottle to provide their employees and customers with drinking water are likely well aware of the challenges this system can create. The problems associated with relying on recurring delivery of bottled water coolers include:

• Time-consuming management: With a gallon bottle system in place, workplaces are required to keep track of water jug delivery and inventory. This distracts team members from more pertinent business matters that need to be overseen and managed.
• Increased safety risks: Frequent delivery means employees will be obligated to regularly replenish the water bottle, and lifting 42-pounds of water every few days is no easy task. This is not only an avoidable workplace disruption, but it also poses a safety risk to workers assigned to replace the bottles.
• Manual cleaning needs: The U.S. Department of Energy recommends cleaning your cooler with every change of the bottle, or every 6 weeks, whichever comes first. However, sanitizing a water dispenser is a multi-step process that requires time and effort on the part of your team members.
• Frequent handling and contact: In the wake of COVID-19, workplace cleanliness is more important than ever — for both organizations and their workers. Unfortunately, a 5-gallon water jug dispenser in your break room can become infested with bacterial, parasitic, and viral organisms, which can expose team members to potentially harmful microorganisms.
• Losing valuable space: A large gallon jug is just that — large. Most businesses want to make sure that their resources and workplace real estate are being used wisely. But, in terms of floor space and storage, bottled water solutions typically aren’t practical or space-efficient.
• Limited options: With bottled water solutions, it’s likely that your workplace won’t have access to a variety of options. Some coolers do have the capability to offer cold water and hot water, but it usually doesn’t get much more exciting than that.
• Negative environmental repercussions: One of the most important consequences of bottled water solutions is their considerable environmental impact. A bottled water cooler and recurring delivery inevitably lead to large amounts of plastic waste, CO2 emissions, oil use, and water waste.

Considering a Bottleless Water Cooler Alternative for Your Workplace

With all of the drawbacks of traditional water solutions, particularly 5-gallon water bottle systems, workplaces are in pursuit of more cost-effective, space-efficient, and eco-friendly alternatives. As a result, organizations are increasingly utilizing bottleless water dispensers. 

What Makes a Bottleless Water Cooler Unique?

A bottleless drinking water system is unique because it doesn’t use any bottles at all — helping businesses avoid frequent and disruptive deliveries. Instead of a large gallon jug, a bottleless water dispenser taps into your building’s existing water line. This allows your organization to provide an endless supply of fresh, filtered water. And with temperature settings that enable your employees to choose between hot water, cold water, and room temperature options, you can rest assured that everyone can choose their preferred drinking water. 

With a reliable water service provider like Quench, you have access to a wide range of bottleless dispensers with different elements to meet every unique business need. For organizations looking for the best water cooler for their workplace, various features to consider include:

Filtration Technology

All of Quench’s bottleless coolers include state-of-the-art filtration technology to guarantee workplaces have access to clean drinking water throughout the year. This filtration includes:

• quenchWATER+: Our Quench branded mineral-infused and electrolyte-enhanced alkaline water is called quenchWATER+. This is produced using our proprietary 5-filter setup to remove contaminants, sediments, odors, and off-tastes while adding essential minerals and electrolytes to create amazing-tasting alkaline water. Most of our Quench Q-series units leverage this technology to offer the highest quality filtered water — keeping your employees, customers, and guests happy, healthy, and hydrated.
• Reverse osmosis (RO): RO filtration is available in our water coolers and ice machines for workplaces in search of “extra clean” water. With this type of filtration, water is essentially stripped down to nothing but H20. Because RO water lacks taste, it’s beneficial to pair this with quenchWATER+ to add back a healthy blend of minerals and electrolytes for hydration and flavor.

It’s important to keep in mind that water quality can vary from zip code to zip code, and, as a result, the type of filtration technology your business needs is largely dependent on the water source in your area. Local water experts from Quench have in-depth knowledge of water conditions from coast-to-coast, allowing us to recommend the best water filtration solution for your company. Our experts can analyze your local drinking water and customize a filtration solution to ensure your office drinking water is both clean and great tasting. 

Touchless Capabilities

At Quench, we understand that it’s more important than ever before to keep workplaces safe and sanitized. As a result, we offer a variety of contactless solutions to meet the needs of your business while helping keep your employees healthy along the way. Our touchless water dispensers remove the need for users to touch any buttons or dials — employing easy-to-use foot pedals to sensor-activated dispensing — which minimizes the opportunity for germs to spread between colleagues.

Sanitization Technology

Not only do Quench machines reduce touchpoints with touchless capabilities to improve hygiene standards, but they also take sanitization a step further with UV technology. Most of our bottleless dispensers offer in-tank UV sanitization that uses a LED UV-C light bulb to maintain water cleanliness while the water is still in the tank.

In combination with UV sanitization, a bottleless cooler from Quench provides antimicrobial surface protection that inhibits the growth of microorganisms including odor-causing bacteria and mold on the dispensing area and filter — reducing the potential buildup of stains and odors.

Size Options

Because workplaces have unique water needs, Quench dispensers come in different sizes to meet these requirements. These different models include:

• Freestanding water dispensers: A freestanding unit is larger and provides fast and convenient access to cold water. These machines offer a variety of features, meaning there’s a great fit for workplaces of all sizes — from small offices and low-traffic areas to large distribution facilities and high-traffic areas.
• Countertop water coolers: A countertop option is designed to fit perfectly on the counter space at your workplace, making it the best water cooler dispenser for lower- to medium-traffic areas.

Keep in mind, our bottleless coolers that offer temperature settings aren’t the only machines that have freestanding and countertop models available. Quench also offers ice machines and sparkling water dispensers in different sizes to meet your particular workplace needs. 

The Benefits of a Bottleless Water Cooler

In addition to the main features of a bottleless water cooler, there are several valuable benefits your workplace can expect to see when making the switch from bottled water solutions. Let’s take a closer look at some of these perks:

• Driving hydration: The main benefit of introducing the best water cooler dispenser for your business is the opportunity to promote hydration. Proper hydration ultimately has far-reaching positive effects on your employees, which include boosting engagement and productivity. This is invaluable for your bottom line long term.
• Regulating your employees’ moods: Water is a key factor in regulating our moods and dehydration is detrimental to the balance of dopamine and serotonin levels in your brain. Low levels of these neurotransmitters can increase feelings of depression and anxiety in your workforce. This can quickly lead to less satisfied, motivated, engaged, and productive workers. With a bottleless water cooler, your business can be guaranteed that you’re offering fresh, great-tasting water and supporting proper daily water intake. This goes a long way toward boosting your workers’ moods.
• Improving safety: A bottleless dispenser from Quench filters water at the point-of-use, which means your team members no longer have to manage recurring deliveries or think about replenishing your drinking water supplies. Our machines are automatically scheduled for annual filter changes and preventative maintenance visits to help your organization eliminate the troubles associated with single-use large-gallon jugs — including safety hazards and the risk of spreading germs.
• Increasing focus and cognitive function: According to The Brain and Spine Institute of North Houston, individuals only need to be 1% hydrated to experience a 5% decrease in cognitive function. These negative impacts only worsen as dehydration becomes prolonged or even chronic. As employees improve their hydration levels throughout the day, they can maintain their mental faculties to help them stay at peak performance.
• Improving energy levels: Hydration is essential to help your workforce increase and sustain their energy levels throughout the workday. Because of this, introducing a high-quality water supply can help these valuable team members stay alert and energized without relying on a midday soda or energy drink.
• Elevating efficiency and productivity: Because greater water consumption leads to increased brain function and energy levels, workplaces are likely to enjoy a significant boost in their operational efficiency and productivity. Workers who are healthy and hydrated can perform to the best of their abilities for longer periods of time, which will be highly beneficial for your business results moving forward.
• Saving space: You can introduce a bottleless cooler with a sleek design. These units can be placed virtually anywhere your business sees fit, eliminating the need to store water bottles while offering improved convenience. All you need is space for the machine — that’s it!
• Supporting sustainability efforts: Water delivery companies produce, fill, transport, deliver, and recycle 5-gallon plastic jugs. A bottleless water dispenser, on the other hand, delivers water directly from your water line. This cuts out the need for plastic containers and reduces water delivery truck emissions, translating to a 98.73% reduction in your carbon footprint every year, according to Quench research. Learn more about the real cost of bottled water solutions with our Cost Comparison Calculator.

FAQs to Keep in Mind

With so many types of dispensers and unique features to consider, we’re answering frequently asked questions to help you make all of your water supply decisions.

Where should your water cooler be located?

A bottleless cooler can be installed almost anywhere in your workplace with kitchens and break rooms being the most popular. The installation process is seamless and a Quench-badged service technician will come out to maintain and service your dispenser regularly. 

The water system’s location is important because you want your employees and customers to have easy access to water. This helps your employees reach higher levels of productivity and, therefore, fosters the opportunity to maximize business operations and better serve customers. 

When considering where your dispenser should be located, try to think about the following:

• Do I have enough space to put the water cooler in this area?
• How far will my colleagues, staff, or visitors have to walk to reach the water cooler?
• Will the cooler block any walkways?

How often will I need to clean my machine?

While a majority of Quench machines offer UVC sanitization and antibacterial surface protection, it’s critical to regularly clean your dispenser’s surface to help prevent the spread of germs and viruses. We recommend wiping the entire surface of your Quench machine — paying special attention to the dispensing area, removable drip tray, and buttons — with a nonabrasive disinfecting household cleaning spray or wipe.

What does maintenance look like with Quench?

After our expert technicians efficiently install your cooler, the repair and maintenance process is simple. You can rest assured that your machine is always in the proper condition because a highly trained, certified Quench technician will routinely inspect and conduct maintenance service on it. Additionally, these technicians will be available to service your machine when needed and change your filter approximately every 12 months, depending on the type of cooler you have. 

So, which water cooler is best suited for your workplace needs?

At Quench, we strive to help customers choose the ideal water solution for their workplace. Quench has a variety of products that meet the needs of any organization workplace in every industry. With over 20 years of experience in supplying bottleless water coolers, our Quench experts are here to help you determine the machine that’s right for your workplace size, industry, and local water quality. 

When you have top-tier water dispensers, the highest quality water, and the most well-trained service technicians on your side, you’ve got nothing to worry about.

Why Quench?

Your workplace drinking water serves a number of essential functions to maintain the health of your employees while improving their efficiency, productivity, and morale long term. However, to do this effectively it’s not only essential to leverage the water cooler that suits your business needs but also to choose a vendor you can depend on. When choosing your water service provider, it’s integral to look for:

• Reliable products
• A skilled service team
• A responsive customer care team

With these 3 elements in play, you can guarantee that you’re receiving the service you need.  And, with the understanding that your machine is only as good as the vendor who provides the service, look no further than Quench. 

Tap water systems at work can taste poor, but bottleless water coolers from Quench can enhance your tap water with cutting-edge filtration technology, providing your employees, guests, and customers with a limitless supply of high-quality, great-tasting drinking water. With our wide range of bottleless dispensers, you can find one machine that suits all of your business’ water needs. Quench provides:

• Sleek, space-efficient designs: Instead of a bulky gallon jug, a Quench water dispenser has a sleek design that takes up considerably less space in your workplace. These units vary from freestanding to countertop water coolers and can be installed virtually anywhere — so you can choose the most convenient location available.

• Hassle-free installation: All of Quench’s bottleless water coolers are delivered, installed, and routinely serviced by a fully qualified Quench-badged service technician. Workplaces can have confidence that our representatives are on call from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET to answer questions, problem solve, and arrange prompt service calls, ensuring that your business never runs out of quality water. Learn more about our installation process here.

• Eco-friendly solutions: Quench is dedicated to developing advanced filtration and sanitization technologies that are environmentally friendly, saving your workplace from single-use plastic. A bottleless cooler from Quench is a more sustainable water solution that’s designed to help organizations reduce their dependency on carbon-emitting plastics, eliminate carbon emissions from delivery trucks, use less energy, and reduce plastic waste.

• Flexible machines: At Quench, we understand all workplaces are unique, and your drinking water needs are no different. We provide a diverse range of water solutions — including machines that offer hot water, cold water, ice, room temperature water, sparkling water, and more — to meet any business requirements.

If you’re ready for water-as-a-service solutions that ensure your employees have access to filtered water whenever they need it, get a free quote today. Not sure exactly what you need? You can try our product finder to discover the best water cooler for your particular business needs, or speak to one of our local water experts who can tell you more about the filtered water dispenser that’s right for your workplace.