Resources for Bottled Water Dispensers

The term "bottled water dispensers" does not generally refer to the machines that sell bottled water in 20-ounce or other sizes: most call those vending machines. Instead, a "bottled water dispenser" refers to a water dispenser system that dispenses from a 3- to 5-gallon tank. Some might call this a "water cooler." Regardless of this semantic distinction, buyers or businesses with these systems will want to know about some key terms for dealing with any water dispensing system.

Bottled and bottleless water dispensers

The difference between these two kinds of water dispensers is that the bottled water dispensers use those large (3- to 5-gallon) plastic bottles you see in many models, where a bottleless water dispenser just runs water through a filter.

Reverse osmosis

The process known as reverse osmosis is a powerful way to filter water for cleanliness naturally. This technology is frequently used in all kinds of water dispensing systems.

WaterTrail sanitation

This kind of sanitation system is just one way of promoting clean water for dispenser systems.

Energy Star

This government system of approving low-energy usage products for the market is applied to water dispensers that meet the criteria for allowing "greener" thirst-quenching systems. Energy Star is part of a broader program that is doing important work in limiting the amount of energy Americans use every day.
U.S. EPA web page.

Countertop water dispensers

These space-saving units replace the bulky water cooler with an installation that will fit on top of a counter for compacting water dispensing into a smaller and more efficient space.

Safe water

This term really just applies to the safety standards for drinking water. However, the safety issues in drinking water are various, and to really study the end result for a drinking water source, you'll need to know about all of the possible pollutants that may contaminate water.