Bottleless Water Coolers FAQ's

1. What exactly is a POU water system?

A Point-Of-Use (POU) water system actually converts your normal tap water into a purified water source that is actually cleaner and safer than the bottled water coolers. While water may leave the bottling facility free from bacteria, there are several points of potential contamination in between the time an empty bottle is removed and a new bottle installed. This is especially true around the neck of a water bottle where human hands must remove the seal and thus spread germs into the entire water system.

POU bottleless water coolers, however, purify normal tap water. While different POU systems may use varying filters to purify the water, the final product is cleaner and purer than the water found in typical water coolers. In fact, POU systems are like high-tech water purification facilities without the multi-million dollar price tag and conveniently sized to be no larger than an average water cooler.

2. Exactly how “pure” is the water from a POU system?

While the precise purity will depend upon the nature of the POU system in use, purity levels are above 99%. Most POU bottleless water coolers employ at least 4 levels of filtration to purify the tap water. These filters are contained in cartridges and the tap water must pass through each before becoming available for drinking. Almost any cooler can also be equipped with a more advanced, Reverse Osmosis purification system.

While the cartridges will vary in different POU systems, there is generally a carbon cartridge used to filter out organic contaminants such as chlorine. Carbon cartridges also remove other impurities that can give water a funny odor or taste. Many POU systems employ reverse osmosis filters that help remove any bacteria, viruses, or other parasites present in the water.

3. How often must a POU bottleless water system be serviced? Is this something that I can do or will I need to call a “technician” out?

Most POU systems are actually designed so they can be serviced manually thus eliminating the expense and inconvenience of a service call. Of course, you may choose to have the system inspected and serviced as well but this is not necessary on most units.

Typically, the cartridges (filters) in most POU systems are designed to last for one year before needing replacement. Of course, in busy offices were people drink a lot of fresh, clean, and cool water supplied by a POU system, cartridges may need replacing more often.

4. How difficult is it to install a POU system?

Installing a POU system is not complicated at all and simply involves running a small plastic line from a cold water source to your unit. Installation is similar to that of an ice maker in your refrigerator. In most cases, the job can be completed in as little as 20-30 minutes and does not require any professional installation.

5. How does a POU system instantaneously transform tap water into cold/hot water?

While it may seem like magic, the truth is that a POU system has hot and cold storage tanks (stainless steel are the best) acting as reservoirs. Hot and cold water stand waiting for use. Even when these tanks are completely drained, users can still expect to receive completely purified water. And there are new systems on the market with an "instant hot" and cold that will heat and chill water almost instantaneously.

6. How does the taste of POU compare with standard bottled water?

Pure, clean, and absolutely refreshing…just like the bottled water only with less hassle, hard work, paperwork, or expense.

7. Compared to bottled water, how does a POU system compare on pricing?

On average, two employees consume 1 bottle (5-gallon) of water per month. For an office of 30 people, that is 15 bottles of water every month at a current average cost of $7/bottle—not including rental fees for the water cooler itself (typically $7-10 per month, depending on the unit and features). That adds up to over $1300 per year!! But, with a POU system, expenses are limited to the cost of municipal water and replacement cartridges (typically $20-$50 per cartridge, depending on the unit). You can literally pay for the POU unit, all the water you can drink, and the replacement cartridges—and still save money in the first year! After that, the savings literally amount to hundreds of dollars each year.

And don’t forget about all the time and expense related to the delivery of bottled water when thinking about the bottom line! After all, how much is your time really worth? Each and every delivery of bottled water requires a verification of incoming inventory, a signature, and lost time. Add all that time up over the course of a year—and you literally lose hours of productivity just making sure the office has water!

Finally, how much office/work space is devoured by all those bottles of water? If you are leasing space, then you are literally paying by the square foot! The more workers you have, the more space you will need to dedicate to those water bottles every month. Again, taken over the course of a year, how much is your bottled water really costing you and your bottom line???

8. Are coolers certified?

Our coolers have been tested to various industry standards and are top performing machines. FW-750 is ADA-compliant, all FW- coolers use NSF-certified components and use high-end compressors from LG Electronics.

8. Where do you ship?

We ship to USA and internationally, including Canada, Mexico, caribbean islands and a number of other destinations. Visit Locations page for more details.