BY
BILL BRADLEY
There's often nasty surprises lurking in your water cooler
equipment, says Rick Arcand, the owner of Sudbury's Water
Coolers Unlimited.
Grime and scum can contaminate the so-called pristine water for
which  consumers are paying dearly.
"My company has been specializing in cleaning, disinfecting
and sanitizing water coolers for the past five years. You'd be
surprised what there is when I open up your water cooler," he
said.
 
"People don't realize there's a water reservoir in the
cooler assembly that holds a litre or more of water. Because
the water in the bottle contains dissolved solids, they can
build up as sediment in the bottom of the reservoir and when
you change the bottle then the gurgling action stirs them up
and they pass out into your cup," he said.
Dissolved solids like lime and calcium, dust, even tiny hairs from pets can wind up where you least expect, Arcand says.
"Of the estimated 20,000 water coolers in Greater Sudbury, I
estimate 90 percent do not have regular cleaning maintenance."
He says not all companies that provide bottled water offer
the right level of service to their customers, leading to
problems with the equipment.
Consumers who cut corners and buy their own bottled water
are most at risk from dirt in the coolers, Arcand claims.
"I would say that 95 percent of these customers do not realize their coolers need servicing. After awhile, their coolers can be so dirty inside in the reservoir it is a matter of public health. Sometimes there is a build-up of algae scum inside.
The first indication of trouble is that the pin your water
cooler sits on turns green."
The real benefit of regular cleaning is the taste of the water.
"After I clean your water cooler, my customers say the water
tastes cleaner and fresher. After all is this not you are
paying for in the first place?"
Water Coolers is located at 275 Lorne St. Phone 688-9000 or e-mail [email protected] .
