by Fern Shaw | May 29, 2013 | water cooler, Water Coolers
Here is the ‘Law-uh’! (to be said with an old-school-spaghetti-Western-type-small-town-sheriff pronunciation).
In the U.K. the Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations of 1992, Regulation 22 places requirements on the employer with respect to the provision of drinking water.
It states:
1. An adequate supply of wholesome drinking water shall be provided for all persons at work in the workplace.
2. Every supply of drinking water required by paragraph (1) shall –
(a) be readily accessible at suitable places; and
(b) be conspicuously marked by an appropriate sign where necessary for reasons of health or safety.
3. Where a supply of drinking water is required by paragraph (1), there shall also be provided a sufficient number of suitable cups or other drinking vessels unless the supply of drinking water is in a jet from which persons can drink easily.
With this rather stern fact out of the way, I then proceeded to cross fjords, wade through rivers, scuba in ponds and was sadly, unable to find any unusual water laws per country.
What I did come across, however, were a plethora of unusual water tidbits and factoids.
- If the entire world’s water were fit into a 4 litre jug, the fresh water available for us would equal only about one tablespoon.
- Each Briton uses about 150 litres of tap water a day, but if you include the amount of water embedded within products, our water consumption increases to about 3400 litres a day.
- One cotton t-shirt has about 25 baths full of water embedded in it. (Frightening that, but the thought of seeing Colleague X nekkid at the water cooler, the t-shirt needs to stay)
- To produce just one pint of beer for example, takes 170 litres of water.
- It takes 200,000,000 litres per second to grow food for the planet.
Overall, that’s a lot of water used and some of that isn’t even for drinking!
So, employer, be kind to your employees and install a water cooler that will allow them to keep hydrated and therefore, be happier, healthier and more productive during working hours.
And remember, it’s the law-uh! *cue sunset and whistle Ennio Morricone theme to The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and exit stage left*
by Fern Shaw | May 13, 2013 | Water Coolers
I often wonder who it was who first came along and thought – ‘hmmm, water in a large bottle waters many people, no large bottle, less people watered’?
So, I investigated a little and this is apparently the case:
Can’t be pinpointed, but apparently, a form of plastic was discovered by Leonardo DaVinci during the Renaissance, however plastic did not become widely used commercially for water until the mid-20th century. This was due to the high cost of manufacturing the material. Once high-density polyethylene was introduced, plastic become the preferred choice starting in the late 1960s.
Prior to this, mineral water from San Pellegrino in Italy has been drawn and produced since 1395! Evian’s roots began in 1826. A local French doctor began the Perrier Company in 1898, and the water used in the bottles is pulled from a Roman spa called Les Bouillens. All of these were bottled in glass (and some still are) prior to the 1960’s.
This was all very interesting, but then my hamster hopping mind started thinking about the rather bizarre concept of shipping water from continent to continent. Rather funny that. Taking water (many, many millions of litres) across the water to another place where there already is water. Bottled water in the bilges where there already is water – okay – bilge water isn’t drinkable, but you get the idea.
Next I thought about water flying. Bottles of water being flown from many destinations to many other destinations. Slightly changes one of my favourite axioms, “Have ___ , will travel’, to ‘Have water, does travel!’
And here we are today, clean, fresh drinking water on tap and at a button press. At AquAid, our water is sourced locally; then it’s bottled and hey nonny no, it zooms off to you.
Hang about, let’s back up a little bit. Firstly, what are we zooming to you? Five litre bottles, 19 litre bottles?
Have a peek at our bottled water coolers whether it’s a desktop water cooler or a free-standing water cooler (don’t worry, they’re free standing, not free-range, they don’t roam), and decide what will best support your water supply requirements.
If you’re not sure, let us know – we will be more than happy to guide you in the correct choice. We have, after all, have been supplying water coolers throughout the U.K. for the last 15 years, so we sorta know our stuff (says she buffing her nails against her jacket lapel).
by Fern Shaw | Apr 26, 2013 | Water Coolers
- On Good Friday in 1930, the BBC reported, “There is no news.” Instead, they played piano music. (They were probably all gathered around the water cooler).
- In England, in pubs or bars, you can have drinks but you are not allowed to get drunk and in Scotland you are on the wrong side of the law if you are drunk and in possession of a cow. (So, perhaps safer to drink water, but watch out for that bovine companion).
- In London, the tube route from Leicester Square to Covent Garden is the most popular tube route for tourists despite the fact that it is actually quicker to cover this distance on foot. (Remember to drink your water on this trip).
- The 409 escalators in the London subway cover a distance every week which is approximately equivalent to several trips around the globe. (Again, even if you’re only using a few of these escalators, drink your water).
- The Queen of England, who once enjoyed extensive powers and authority over almost the whole world and despite all her present majesty and glory, is not allowed to enter the House of Commons simply because she is not its member. She may only enter the House of Lords.
- In medieval England even animals were tried in royal courts and punished for damages they inflicted on people or their properties. (That poor cow has a right to its beef!).
- In the Great Fire of London that wreaked havoc on the city and necessitated massive reconstruction work, the casualty count was only eight. (Imagine if all the premises had had water coolers on site).
- The English drink more tea than any person of any other nation (over twenty times more than Americans).
- Did you know that London has had many names in the past? It was called Londonium during the Roman Invasion, Ludenwic in Saxon times and Ludenburg during the kingdom of Alfred the Great.
- The treasures contained in the British Museum span two million years of world civilization. (Hmm, gem encrusted water bottle, anyone?)
- Did you know that the River Thames, which flows through London, has over 200 bridges and 20 tunnels? (Lots of water there, but I doubt that I’d be drinking it).
by Fern Shaw | Apr 11, 2013 | Health and Hydration, Water Coolers
… Rain (blizzards, snow, and sub-zero temperatures) or Shine (weak lemony coloured sun that wouldn’t tan a meringue) you begin to notice that your staff is a tad dispirited, if not outrightly unproductive. No spring in their step, no whistle in their walk.
So, at great cost, you institute an Independent Board of Enquiry to establish the cause of this general malaise that’s affecting everyone from Mrs Tibbins, usually the whizz bang accountant, through to Mr Oogle, usually the zoomiest bike messenger ever (but sadly not for the past few months.)
While all of this is in motion, the meeker than the proverbial mouse IT person, Tad, squeaks up.
‘We’ve no water in the water coolers’, says Tad, ‘so everybody’s most likely dehydrated’.
‘What?’ splutters HOD Mrs Furthingstoke, ‘what does that have to do with everyone not performing at their peak? Pure poppycock, I’m sure!’
‘Incorrect’, corrects Tad, ‘not drinking water regularly is one of the leading causes of many illnesses and especially fatigue’.
As it turns out, Tad was proven correct. The Board of Enquiry was dismissed, the water coolers were kept replenished, productivity soared and absenteeism dropped rapidly.
Take it from Tad, dehydration can happen sooner than one thinks. Some early warning signs are:
- Light-headedness, dizziness;
- Tiredness, irritability, headache;
- Dry mouth, throat and eyes;
- Sunken features (particularly the eyes), flushed skin and skin that is loose and lacks elasticity;
- Heat intolerance;
- There may be a burning sensation in the stomach, urine output will be reduced and may appear darker than usual.
So, in the interests of having a healthy, happy, productive work environment, take the simplest route – ensure that there is always fresh, clean drinking water from source, available at the press of a button, in the workplace.
by Fern Shaw | Apr 8, 2013 | Charity, Water Coolers
The Elephant Pump – how does it work?
What is it?
The Elephant Pump is a manual activated water pump based on a 2000 year-old Chinese design that the CEO of The Africa Trust, Ian Thorpe, adapted, to make it stronger and more durable.
This award winning Pump brings a cost effective, reliable and sustainable solution to one of Africa’s biggest problems.
What does it do?
It is made and maintained using materials that are locally available in remote rural sub-Saharan African communities, which means that once the Pump has been built, local resources can be drawn upon for repairs and replacement parts.
It draws water up from a well at a high volume – approximately 1 litre per second. That means 60 litres per minute.
How does it work?
As the handle is turned, water is drawn up from a well of up to 30 meters in depth via a central pipe by washers attached to a rope. As the pump mechanism is fully enclosed to exclude sources of contamination, it yields a quality and quantity of water which exceeds WHO guidelines. The surplus water is used for livestock and irrigation of crops.
What are the benefits of the Pump?
The Elephant Pump has already contributed to bringing over 2 million people in rural Africa, a safe water source, at a price significantly less in comparison to comparable hand pumps.
- The ancient methods of constructing the Pump ensure the materials can be locally sourced and built, further promoting employment within the local community.
- Reliability – At any one time around 95% of existing Elephant Pumps are in operation which is 40% above the average for Africa.
- Ease of Use – The Elephant Pump is safe and suitable for operation by children and the elderly.
- High Volume – The Pump can provide 500 people with 20 litres per person, per day for domestic use.
- The money saved from installing an Elephant Pump provides enough money to build an additional pump providing a further 500 people with water.
Where does AquAid fit in?
At AquAid, we continually strive to supply water coolers that are best suited to our customers’ requirements thereby ensuring that our customers keep hydrated. At the same time, our water coolers also help provide safe drinking water to thousands of people every year by donating to sustainable charities; the Elephant Pumps in particular, being built as a direct result of monies donated to The Africa Trust.
How do you fit in?
For each purchase of an AquAid water cooler, a portion of that revenue is donated to Christian Aid and The Africa Trust.
We also have on-going paperless campaigns where selected customers are offered the opportunity to have an Elephant Pump with their name on it, built in a rural community, thereby ensuring a safe water supply to others less fortunate.
So when you use our services you are also benefiting many others in the developing world and helping to save lives.
by Fern Shaw | Mar 26, 2013 | Water Coolers
No stranger to hard work that brings results, AquAid South Coast have a substantial customer base that they have been servicing since 2000.
This is achieved, in part, by being staffed by a great team, headed up by Mike O’ Dononghue, photographed below assisting with a delivery to one of AquAid South Coast’s most recent and rather prestigious customers, St. Mary’s Stadium, home to Southampton F.C
St Mary’s Stadium is a UEFA 4-star rated stadium and with a capacity of 32 689, is the largest football stadium in the south of England, outside of London. Apart from hosting countless football matches since being opened in 2001, the stadium has also hosted other notable events such as film premieres for movies such as Casino Royale, as well as music concerts by Elton John in 2005 and Bon Jovi in 2006.
There was a tribute to Elvis Presley in August 2007 and Southampton fan Craig David played at St Mary’s on 25 October 2007.
In the Northam Stand, the Saints Study Support Centre – a club run initiative to help school children outside of class – can be found, along with the offices of Southampton City Training, a quasi-council run organisation which helps young people get vocational training.
So, a very busy stadium, choc-a-block with very busy people means a lot of thirst and a definite need to keep all hydrated during their working days.
To this end, AquAid have installed 26 mains fed water coolers at St Mary’s Stadium, thereby ensuring that not only will all the busy people at St Mary’s keep hydrated and productive but, that by their purchase, they will be contributing towards children in Third World countries being able to have access to clean, fresh drinking water through contributions to Christian Aid and The Africa Trust.
A win-win situation!
