The water cooler. Those of us who have worked in an office know it well. It’s more than just a place to fill up your Stanley or share celebrity gossip, it’s a workday ritual. A short, refreshing respite from the corporate grind. Before the advent of email and twitter, the water cooler was also the hub of office activity. We got the news at the water cooler, about Kevin in accounting, the weekend weather or the Presidential election.
The history of office refreshment spans over a century. The traditional water cooler was invented in 1938 by part-time plumber, part-time sanitation inspector, Luther Haws. Haws had already made substantial contributions to California public health by developing the drinking fountain in 1906. Until this time, school children (and the community at large) shared a communal tin dipper or cup when they needed a drink of water; when installed in schools or other public building, the Haws Sanitary Drinking Fountain greatly reduced the spread of bacteria and viruses. As Haws fine-tuned his invention over the next few decades, he eventually brought the modern electrical self-contained water cooler into the workplace.
By the 1960’s, Haws’ invention was an office staple, providing refreshment and a central spot to congregate, share ideas and promote workplace culture. Before the wide spread use of plastic, water cooler jugs were made of glass or porcelain which made transport a heavy, and sometimes dangerous, job. In the 1980’s, plastic became the standard, making the coolers safer to transport and more accessible. Of course, with this advancement came the proliferation of plastic waste, as the company break room became a graveyard of empty jugs. And while we no longer shared those same tin cups, the risk of germ spread remains as the traditional cooler’s communal touch points often become a source of cold or flu spread.
Michigan Clear Water offers a transition away from the traditional cooler into the new age of office water. Our point of use systems transform your tap water through a four-stage purification process (including reverse osmosis), to provide pure, clean, refreshing, great tasting drinking water. And that’s only the beginning.
- We will help you eliminate those water jugs stacked up in the break room. Less jugs mean reduced risk from exposure to plastic and less waste in our already crowded landfills. This small change can have a big impact on your health and the environment.
- We offer a variety of premium water cooler options for every office situation. Our systems can provide hot, cold and ambient water, as well as (really good) ice and even sparkling water.
- Our systems have anti-microbial touch-pad surfaces (no germs!). Surrounding surfaces are manufactured and tested to protect against cross-contamination of germs and the touchless dispense allows for hygienic, touch-free operation.
- Unlike traditional water coolers, our bottleless coolers come equipped with purification systems that clean, filter and transform your tap water into crystal clear, healthy, great tasting pure water. Our filtration systems remove Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) through the TFC Reverse Osmosis membrane. TDS are the total amount of mobile ions, including mineral, salts or metals dissolved in given volume of water and are an increasing health concern.
- With the addition of a Boost filter, we can provide unlimited alkaline water that is enriched with essential vitamins and minerals.
- Our prices are comparable to, or less than, what you’re paying for a traditional water cooler!!
Science and technology have been key to the invention of the water cooler over the last century, improving the health and safety of schools, public spaces and the office. If your workplace is still using a traditional water cooler, you may not be aware that our technologically advanced, point of use water systems are an affordable alternative and can reduce the risk of PFAS, improve water quality and eliminate the plastic waste. Also, this water just tastes better, but that part is hard to explain. Why not try it for yourself?
