Whenever I visited my friends and relatives and get a glass of water to drink, I almost always shake my head whenever I see a water dispenser. For the longest time, I’ve always believed that water should be free, like air and sunshine or love.
That was until a few months ago when someone really dear to me got sick with a stomach virus. The doctors told us it was from drinking bad water. It was at that moment when I realized that maybe all those tree huggers and the hippies who pump their fists and shout invectives at the government (while chugging acid on the side) might not have been pointless at all.
Going forward, I’d like to share some of my thoughts on getting a water dispenser for my flat. Here are some of the frequently asked questions first time buyers tend to ask.
Do I really need treated water?
I think this question deserves an entirely different post, one where both big budget businesses and the environmentalists can weigh in on their thoughts. The short answer is, yes.
I ignored the bitter taste of my tap water for a long time, not because I could live with it but that’s really because this was just me. I was perfectly fine when each time I took a sip, my water tasted like crisps dipped in toothpaste. It took an accident like that to wake me up on the cold, hard truths that our tap water wasn’t as good as it was before.
Bottled vs. Mains-fed Dispensers?
Quite surprisingly, you’re the best person to answer that. Go and get home water testing kits from your local hardware supplier and you’ll find out. Based on these results, you can decide whether it’s safer to get bottled water. You can be very sure with the quality but the catch is those containers do take up space when they pile up.
A mains-fed dispenser has a built in filtration system that can clear up the after-taste on your drink. Don’t be fooled with the marketing hype – they’re actually cheaper to rent than to own, owing to the added maintenance costs.
Floor Standing vs. Counter-top Coolers?
Again, this boils down to a simple matter of preference and a bit of practicality. I don’t do a lot of cooking in my flat so I really don’t need the space on the counter. Others, like my parents, put a premium on their kitchen space and they don’t really mind losing a bit of floor space.
If you’re not in a hurry to get a water dispenser for your home, you can always get in touch with some of the many water cooler providers in the country. These people can set you up with a unit you like and you can test it for free and you’ll see what it’s really like to live with.
Do you have niggling doubts or quibbles with your water dispensers? Tell me about it and drop a line below.
Beant is a lot more careful with what she drinks these days, though she still sits on the fence between economic progress and preserving the environment. She writes for wateringwell.co.uk, a company that provides water dispensers and water cooler solutions to homes and businesses across the country.