With just minimal care, your home water dispenser will provide years of safe, trouble-free refreshment. Here are the specific procedures recommended by the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) to assure your bottled water dispenser always remains clean and its water delicious.
In developing these procedures, the IBWA has conducted studies (administered by Yale University’s School of Medicine) evaluating the safety of water dispensers and how to protect them. These tests confirm a simple program of regular cleaning and maintenance safeguards dispensers as a convenient way to enjoy bottled water any time.
Your bottled water dispenser is virtually maintenance free – always ready to provide clean, refreshing bottled water at the press of a button. To be sure it stays in proper working order, however, you should spend a few minutes on basic care every two or three months.
When it’s time to replace water bottles:
1) Unplug cooler. Remove empty water bottle.
2) Drain all water still in the reservoir through the cold water faucet.
3) Fill the dispenser reservoir with clean tap water (about one gallon). Dissolve one teaspoon of household bleach in one cup of tap water. Add this mixture to the tap water already in the reservoir. (There should never be more than one teaspoon of bleach per gallon of tap water.)
4) Using a clean brush, scrub the inside of the reservoir. Let stand for five minutes.
5) Grain this water through the cold water faucet ONLY. Wipe the reservoir dry.
6) Rinse reservoir by filling with clean tap water. Drain through the cold water faucet.
7) If your cooler has two faucets, refill the reservoir with clean tap water. Drain through the second faucet.
8) Place a new bottle on your dispenser. Plug in the unit and enjoy!
Your dispenser’s drip tray is not a drain but a basin to catch occasional spills. It should be emptied and cleaned at least once a month. To do this, remove the drip tray from the dispenser, clean it with mild soap and water, then rinse and replace the drip tray.
Always wipe a new bottle’s neck with a clean, damp cloth. Also, wipe the top of the dispenser, including the lip of the reservoir. Always keep full bottles standing upright, away from direct sunlight. And never spray around your dispenser, nor use it as a shelf!
Enjoy your bottled water in confidence and good health. For further questions call us at 1-505-822-9089 or call the IBWA at (703 683-5213).