The number of gallons being flowed through water coolers has nearly doubled in the last half a decade, due to the growing concerns about the safety of tap water. The increase alone isn't directly sourced from offices but also schools, universities and hospitals are opting to exchange their water coolers for reverse osmosis systems.
This change is primarily motivated by the fact that coolers can provide the perfect breeding grounds for high amounts of unhealthy bacteria, which can cause diarrhea and unsettled stomachs. In a study conducted on a Boston University campus which examined their own water coolers, dangerous levels of potentially harmful bacteria were found. Of the ten water coolers that were tested, each contained a count exceeding 2,000 times the government's recommended quantity, or four times the 500 organism ceiling. These bacteria are not thought to be present when the water is delivered, but rather the dispensers and spigot are thought to be the major cause for concern. When connected to the cooler the bottle is sitting in a contaminated holder thus infecting the clean drinkable water.
Fortunately a process of reverse osmosis does not have the same amount of bacteria infecting the water. Instead of harboring bacteria reverse osmosis, purifies even the dirtiest of water. The process is called rev
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