by Fern Shaw | Aug 18, 2025 | bottle fed water coolers, water cooler, Water Coolers
When the mercury rises, staying cool and hydrated becomes essential – whether you’re at home, at work, or out and about. Here’s how to keep your water intake up and your body temperature down.
Workplace Water Cooler Hydration Tips
A water cooler or water dispenser in the office is your best ally during a heatwave.
Visit it regularly to top up your drinking water – setting a reminder can help.
Choose cool (but not icy) drinks to lower your body temperature gradually.
Wear lightweight, breathable clothing and keep a reusable water bottle at your desk for easy refills.
Home Cooling and Hydration from the Water Cooler
Hydration matters as much indoors as it does outdoors.
Keep chilled water ready in the fridge or fill bottles from your water dispenser before freezing for later use.
Encourage children to drink regularly – even if they don’t feel thirsty.
Close curtains or blinds to block heat and ventilate during cooler parts of the day.
Avoid heat-generating activities like cooking or running appliances in peak temperatures.
Opt for light meals such as salads and fruit, which also help maintain hydration.
Staying Hydrated Beyond the Water Cooler
If you’re on the move, plan ahead to beat the heat.
Carry bottled water wherever you go.
Avoid direct sunlight between 11am and 3pm, especially if you’re vulnerable to heat-related illnesses.
Wear loose, light-coloured clothing and a hat for shade.
Seek out cool spaces and take regular breaks from activity.
Replenish lost minerals as well as water – fruit juice or electrolyte drinks can help after excessive sweating.
Remember: Whether you’re at your desk, relaxing at home, or enjoying the outdoors, keeping water nearby is the simplest way to stay healthy, hydrated, and cool during a heatwave. For a reliable water cooler or water dispenser to help make that happen, contact AquAid – we’re always here to keep you refreshed.
by Fern Shaw | Aug 4, 2025 | water cooler, water dispenser
When it’s a cookie, of course! With today being National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, we thought we’d start the week by celebrating the ultimate biscuit of biscuits. There’s something undeniably comforting about a chocolate chip cookie – whether it’s the warm, slightly gooey kind fresh from the oven or the crisp, crunchy ones that hold their shape. These American-born biscuits never fail to hit the spot.
But here’s a sneaky tip: if you’re treating yourself to a few (or a whole tray – no judgement), don’t forget to stay hydrated too.
Now, tradition tells us that cookies are best served with a cold glass of milk – and sure, that’s still a classic. But if you’re not a dairy fan or just want to feel a little lighter, drinking water alongside your choc chip is a smart choice.
Here’s why water works with cookies (or any biscuits for that matter):
- It cleanses your palate, so every bite tastes just as good as the first.
- It keeps you hydrated, especially if you’re indulging in more than one.
- It helps balance the sweetness and richness – especially useful with those triple-choc versions.
Let’s face it, cookies are delicious, but they can be a little dry (think undunked shortbread). After a few bites, you might find yourself reaching for a glass of something cool. That’s where the trusty watercooler comes in. It’s no longer just a spot for casual chats – it’s your go-to companion when the cookie craving hits.
Whether you’re on a tea or coffee break, topping up your water at work, or baking up a storm at home, having a water dispenser close by is a simple and easy way to keep refreshed and maintain good hydration.
So go ahead, have that cookie (or three). Just chase it down with a glass of cool water and you’ll feel far better for it.
by Fern Shaw | Jul 30, 2025 | Health and Hydration, water cooler, Water Coolers
Staying properly hydrated ensures that all of your bodily functions are … well … functioning. You can only go three days or so without water, and as your body loses its hydration, you will experience all kinds of awful side effects. Dehydration can cause irritability, lethargy, dangerously low blood pressure, rapid heart rate, headaches, shock, and even death.
The average adult can usually maintain proper levels of hydration by drinking enough water. That being said, extreme heat or exertion can be draining on even a healthy adult. Kids and the elderly are more susceptible to extreme dehydration than the average adult … so if you have kids or older adults in your life that are important to you, the tips outlined below can be especially important for them (and for you!)
- Pick the right water.
As a general rule, try to avoid hydrating beverages that have added sugar. In addition to having fewer calories, it’s important to choose hydrating beverages that don’t have sugar in order to prevent spikes in insulin levels. Going into a sugar crash compounded with the already-unpleasant sensation of dehydration is not the way to go. Plus, if you happen to be sick with diarrhoea during a hot summer day, sugary beverages can actually worsen your symptoms.
- Snack on the right foods.
Fresh veggies and fruits are good snacks this time of year, and not just for dieters. Fresh produce has a very high water content, so it’s a great way to hydrate without having to drink a ton of water. For example, an apple is up to 85% of water by volume.
Pickles (and pickle juice) are higher in electrolytes than beverages like Liquid Power or Powerade, and have been shown to reduce cramping cause by exertion in high temperatures. The acetic acid in pickles and pickle juice are considered superior to the citric acid found in commercial sports drinks, at least when it comes to rehydration properties.
Another food you should add into your diet when staying properly hydrated is a concern are chia seeds. In addition to being high in protein, the seeds themselves help you to retain water by absorbing many times their own weight in water. If you can’t find the actual seeds, you may be able to find a chia seed gel at runner’s/sporting goods or health food shops.
- Drink constantly, not occasionally.
You should be constantly drinking fluids, rather than guzzling multiple litres of water all at once.
Another way to explain this (in a rather radical comparison) is when you go to the hospital and get an IV drip, it’s a DRIP … meaning that you get a slow but steady introduction of fluids. You never see anyone getting an IV drip at the speed of a gushing fire hose.
It is better to have frequent, small amounts of fluid … especially if the dehydration is severe. Too many fluids at once can induce stomach upset or vomiting.
The amount of water you need in a given day depends on the environment, your activity level, and what other food and drink you have consumed.
Break up that amount of water into a cup or so every hour, and you’ll have a good, healthy intake of water. Drinking too much water in a very short period of time can put too much strain on your eliminatory processes, so finding the right balance is important.
- Avoid diuretic behaviours.
Don’t do anything that you know will dehydrate you. In addition to exercise, also watch out for alcohol and caffeine. You might feel groggy when you get to the office … avoid your usual The Hulk sized mugs of coffee and go for a large glass of water. You might be surprised at how much more effectively the water perks you up.
- Make it easy on yourself.
It’s hard to stay hydrated when you don’t have water nearby. At the office it should be easier – and practically impossible to avoid if you have a water cooler on the premises.
If you don’t, speak to the powers-that-be and ask them to drop AquAid a line, so that you get your water cooler tout suite.
Chia!
by Fern Shaw | Jul 30, 2025 | Water, water cooler
For the last few (gloriously hot and sunny) weeks, the focus has been on how to stay hydrated when it’s hot. But before everyone gets carried away filling paddling pools, pressure-washing patios and watering every leaf in sight, a stern internal voice (think Sergeant Major, broad as Stockton, moustache bristlier than Bristol) barked: “Water conservation at all costs, people!”
So now we have our hydration sorted, the focus shifts from personal hydration (still important, mind) to looking after our green spaces without soaking the planet. Here are six simple, sensible ways to keep your green spaces thriving while still being kind to water supplies:
- Raise That Mower Blade – Cutting the lawn too short in hot weather is like sunbathing without sunscreen. Set the mower to a higher level – taller grass shades the roots and helps the soil retain moisture.
- Sprinkle with Purpose – Sprinklers are best for large patches of grass. For smaller areas or container plants, a watering can (or even a humble cup) is much more precise – and far less wasteful.
- Avoid the Heat of the Day – Midday watering does more harm than good. The heat can cause water to evaporate before it even hits the roots – or worse, scorch the leaves. Early morning or evening is best.
- Inspect Sprinklers Like a Pro – Leaky valves or clogged heads? That’s water literally down the drain. A quick once-over every few days can save litres – and your lawn will thank you.
- Skip the Windy Watering – Watering on a blustery day is a bit like trying to drink from a straw in a hurricane. Most of it misses the mark. Save it for a calmer moment.
- Choose a Smarter Fountain – Fountains that trickle, or cascade lose less to evaporation than those that spray into the air. And during hotter spells, it might be best to switch them off – unless, of course, they’re affordable water fountains or essential for visiting wildlife.
And a final word from around the Water Cooler
As tempting as it may be, please don’t take a jug from the office water cooler to douse your flower beds – unless it’s for your prized bonsai that lives in the shaded corner of the conference room. (We see you, Bartholomew Bonsai from Finance.)
Because whether it’s a heatwave or just another sunny spell, conserving water is always in style – and the Sergeant Major wouldn’t have it any other way.
by Belinda Ollewagen | Jul 30, 2025 | Hot Water Taps, instant tap, Water Coolers
We all know that dehydration is bad for us and that it’s important to keep ourselves well hydrated throughout the day to ensure we perform optimally, which (in addition to it being the law) is another reason why companies provide easy access to water in the form of a water cooler, water boilers, and hot water taps. But many of us still don’t drink enough water, and even slight dehydration is harmful. Our bodies naturally alert us when they need replenishment, but thirst mechanism aside, what are the other cues we often misread?
Some of the first signs of dehydration are similar to hunger pangs, which mistakenly makes us reach for something to eat. The confusion apparently stems from our hypothalamus, that part of the brain that regulates appetite and thirst – which, when we’re dehydrated, gets its wires crossed. It’s always best if you’re feeling slightly hungry to try drinking water first, if hunger pangs persist then move on to a snack, but always try replenishing the body’s water supply before doing anything else.
A more obvious sign is a dry mouth, potentially followed by a headache – the latter is not something we would normally associate with dehydration, but unwittingly it is often the cause. According to University News‘ dehydration headaches may happen because a lack of fluids causes shrinkage in brain volume. This results in the brain pulling away from the skull, which triggers pain receptors in the meninges (the membrane that surrounds the brain).’ So, before you reach for pain killers, walk over to the hot water taps in your office kitchen and make a cup of tea or drink a glass of water. An important point to remember however is that while drinking coffee and tea will aid hydration, it is only effective around the four cups per day mark – if consumption exceeds that, it actually becomes a diuretic which is counterproductive to hydration.
Other more serious signs can include fatigue, heart palpitations, cramping, loss of concentration and loss of mental capabilities. It is particularly the change in focus and shift in mental acuity that affects productivity. A study assessing the effects of mild dehydration on cognitive performance found that ‘mild dehydration in men induced adverse changes in vigilance and working memory, and increased tension/anxiety and fatigue.’ Worryingly, many of us begin our day already mildly dehydrated which is then exacerbated by a lack of water intake as we move through our day.
It is imperative, both from a health and productivity point of view, that we maintain sufficient hydration levels, and we achieve this by forming healthy habits – keeping a bottle of water on our desks and sipping on it throughout the day; and taking regular water and tea breaks. Mild dehydration is insidious and if we are to function optimally, we need to learn to read the signs correctly.
