Keeping employees, customers, and guests supplied with drinking water sounds simple until you are the person responsible for ordering bottles, finding storage space, changing heavy jugs, or realizing the cooler is empty in the middle of the workday.
For businesses in Lubbock and West Texas, there are two common choices: traditional bottled water delivery or a bottleless water cooler.
Both provide convenient access to drinking water, but the way they work is very different.
Here is what to consider when deciding which option makes the most sense for your workplace.
How Does Bottled Water Service Work?
Traditional water coolers rely on large bottles or jugs that have to be delivered, stored, and replaced as they are emptied.
It is a familiar setup, and it can work well for some spaces. However, it also means keeping up with an ongoing supply of bottles.
Someone has to make sure there is enough water available, store the extra bottles, and replace them when the cooler runs out.
For a busy office or commercial space, that can become another recurring task on an already long list.
How Does a Bottleless Water Cooler Work?
A bottleless water cooler connects directly to an existing water line.
Instead of getting its water from a large replaceable jug, the cooler filters water as it is needed and dispenses it directly from the unit.
For businesses, that means there are no large water bottles to keep in storage and no need to replace a jug every time one runs empty.
Internal link: Bottle-Less Water Coolers service page
Bottled Water vs. Bottleless Water Coolers
When comparing the two options, it helps to look beyond the water itself.
Storage
Bottled water requires somewhere to keep both full and empty bottles.
That may not sound like a big deal until several bulky water jugs are taking up space in a break room, supply closet, or storage area.
Bottleless systems eliminate the need to store replacement bottles.
Deliveries
With traditional bottled water, your supply depends on deliveries and how quickly your team uses the water.
A bottleless cooler uses the building’s existing water supply, so you do not have to keep track of how many bottles are left before the next delivery.
Changing Heavy Water Bottles
Anyone who has changed a large water cooler jug knows it can be awkward.
Bottleless systems remove that job completely because there are no bottles to lift, flip, or replace.
Consistent Access to Water
A busy workplace can go through bottled water quickly.
With a bottleless cooler, water is filtered as needed rather than being limited to the number of bottles currently in storage.
That can be especially convenient for offices with larger teams, frequent customers, or busy common areas.
Filtration
One of the biggest differences is where the water comes from.
Bottleless systems connect to the building’s water line and use filtration to improve the water before it reaches your cup.
Depending on the system, different filtration options may be available to address the needs of the business and its water supply.
What Types of Businesses Can Use a Bottleless Water Cooler?
Bottleless water coolers are not just for traditional offices.
They can be a convenient option for many types of Lubbock businesses, including:
- Medical and dental offices
- Dealerships
- Salons and spas
- Gyms and fitness facilities
- Schools
- Waiting rooms
- Warehouses
- Professional offices
- Retail businesses
- Employee break rooms
Anywhere employees, customers, patients, or guests regularly need drinking water can potentially benefit from a reliable filtered water source.
What About Maintenance?
A bottleless cooler does eliminate bottle deliveries, but that does not mean the system should be ignored after installation.
Filters and other system components need to be maintained so the cooler continues working properly.
Working with a local water company can make it easier to keep the system serviced and make sure it continues providing the water quality you expect.
If your workplace currently uses a traditional dispenser, you can also read our How to Clean a Water Cooler blog for more information about keeping shared water equipment clean.
Is a Bottleless Water Cooler Better for Your Business?
There is no single answer for every workplace.
If your business uses very little water and already has a bottled system that works well, changing may not be a priority.
But if you are constantly ordering bottles, finding places to store them, replacing heavy jugs, or worrying about running out, a bottleless system may make everyday hydration much easier.
It is especially worth considering for businesses that want filtered water available throughout the workday without managing an ongoing supply of large water bottles.
A Better Water Solution for Lubbock Businesses
Providing good drinking water should not require constantly thinking about your next delivery.
RedBird Water offers bottleless water cooler options for businesses in Lubbock and West Texas, with systems designed to provide convenient access to filtered water without traditional water jugs.
If you are ready to compare your current bottled water setup with a bottleless option, contact RedBird Water to learn more or schedule a demo.