A water dispenser, known as water cooler (if used for cooling only), is a machine that cools or

heats up and dispenses water with a refrigeration unit. It is commonly located near the restroom
due to closer access to plumbing. A drain line is also provided from the water cooler into the
sewer system.

Water dispensers come in a variety of form factors, ranging from wall-mounted to bottle filler
water dispenser combination units, to bi-level units and other formats. They are generally broken
up into two categories: point-of-use (POU) water dispensers and bottled water dispensers. POU
water dispensers are connected to a water supply, while bottled water dispensers require delivery
(or self-pick-up) of water in large bottles from vendors. Bottled water dispensers can be top-
mounted or bottom-loaded, depending on the design of the model.

Bottled water dispensers typically use 11- or 22-liter (5- or 10-gallon) dispensers commonly
found on top of the unit. Pressure coolers are a subcategory of water dispensers encompassing
drinking water fountains and direct-piping water dispensers. Water cooler may also refer to a
primitive device for keeping water cool.[1]

Contents
 1 Dispenser types
o 1.1 Wall-mounted / recessed
o 1.2 Bottom-load water dispenser
o 1.3 Tabletop water dispenser
o 1.4 Direct-piping water dispenser (POU)
o 1.5 Freestanding
 2 Water source
o 2.1 Natural mineral and spring water
o 2.2 Purified water
 3 Water delivery
o 3.1 Bottled water coolers
 3.1.1 Material
o 3.2 Direct plumbed
 4 Purification
o 4.1 Filtration
o 4.2 Sanitization & disinfection
 5 Cooling and heating methods
o 5.1 Cooling
 5.1.1 Vapor compression refrigeration
 5.1.2 Thermoelectric cooling
o 5.2 Heating
 6 Additional features
o 6.1 Bottle filler
o 6.2 Carbonation
  7 Maintenance
 8 See also
 9 References
 10 External links

Dispenser types

Wall-mounted water dispensers

Wall-mounted / recessed

The wall-mounted type is connected to the building's water supply for a continuous supply of
water and electricity to run a refrigeration unit to cool the incoming water, and to the building's
waste disposal system to dispose of unused water. Wall-mounted water coolers are frequently
used in commercial buildings like hospitals, schools, businesses, and other facilities where a
facility manager is present to monitor its installation and maintenance.

In the standard wall-mounted cooler, also commonly referred to as a water fountain or drinking
fountain, a small tank in the machine holds chilled water so the user does not have to wait for
chilled water. Water is delivered by turning or pressing a button on a spring-loaded valve located
on the top of the unit, that turns off the water when released. Some devices also offer a large
button on the front or side. Newer machines may not have a button at all; instead, a sensor that
detects when someone is near and activates the water. Water is delivered in a stream that arches
up, allowing the user to drink directly from the top of the stream of water. These devices usually
dispense water directly from the municipal water supply, without treatment or filtering.

Wall mount water coolers come in a wide variety of styles, from recessed models to splash
resistant, contoured basins protruding out from the wall, traditional rounded square edge designs,
bottle filler and water cooler combination units, bi-level designs, with other features and options.
These are sometimes installed to meet local, state or federal codes.