Efficient water coolers have become the expected office norm. Now made with high-quality techniques to prevent bacterial growth while significantly contributing to the overall health of the general population, the origination and development of water coolers is quite a piece of history.
Early Filtration
Before chilled drinking water became popular, filtration systems to provide clean drinking water had to be invented. Early on, boiling the water, leaving it for an extended time in the sun, or filtering it through gravel and sand were the major methods for purification. The Egyptians then concocted a filtration system also using sand, the Romans constructed aqueducts to direct clean mountain water into the cities, and the Greeks built infrastructures utilizing gravel and sand that yielded vast amounts of clean water to larger areas.
Chilled and Refreshing
Chilling water became fashionable in the UK in the 1840’s, marking the creation of the first, early water cooler. However, these cooling units were large, difficult to move, and required enormous blocks of ice from nearby ice houses crammed with ice and snow from the winter season.
Modern Water Cooler Beginnings
The first drinking fountains flowed at room temperature, making them easy targets for bacterial breeding grounds. The answer to this dilemma was to maintain colder water temperatures. However, early cooling attempts still used ice from rivers, presenting similar microbial problems.
American inventor Luther Haws is credited with designing the first water drinking fountain in 1905, followed by patenting the first ever sanitary water faucet. It wasn’t until 1938 that he constructed the first electrical, self-contained water cooler. These, like the UK chilling coolers, were hard to transport due to weight.
Modern water coolers came about in the 1980’s when plastic replaced the giant glass bottles perched on top of the cooling system. With the easily shipped plastic jugs, these products became steadily more common and accessible.
Highly Efficient Water Coolers of Today
Water coolers today prevent bacterial growth through an internal air filtration system, which also preserves the water, maintaining the freshest taste. The cooler reservoirs are built of stainless steel, making them resistant to bacterial growth, and water taps are nano-silver impregnated to prevent microbial growth. All these factors combined ensure the best quality of preserved, filtered water.
Nowadays, there’s an abundance of options for high-quality water coolers. Most recently updated water dispensers emit hot, ambient, chilled, and sparkling water. The well-known company Lavit offers over twenty drink options using recyclable capsules and an interactive touch screen. Waterlogic developed the WL500, which boasts a multi-stage carbon filtration and purification through ultraviolet light to ensure quality. There are small, compact systems and more traditional constructions allowing for three to five-gallon bottles. Some dispense ice as well, and others are treated with anti-microbial components for extra protection.
With so many different qualities and perks, it can be difficult these days to decide on the right water cooler, but the progression from the original coolers is fascinating. Manufacturers now keep in mind compactness, weight consistency for transportation, and energy efficiency. From there, it’s simply choosing between the many styles, colors, and models available.