It’s been a feature of the office decades. And it’s often the meeting hub for the latest bit of latest workplace gossip or talk of the hot new TV show. What I am talking about? The water cooler, of course! The majority of employees have probably had their fair share of water cooler moments, and although it’s now it’s an integral part of office life, you might not realize quite how far it dates back.
How It Began
The water cooler isn’t the modern phenomenon some people think it is. It actually dates back to the early 1900s – way before ‘office gossip’ became a thing. We have Willard Taylor and Luther Haw to thank for the water cooler. In 1906, the two men got together to create a drinking water fountain, although it served a rather different purpose back then.
In its earliest form, the ‘water cooler’ – as it would become known – wasn’t designed as a regular office meeting hub. In fact, the intentions behind it were much more serious: fighting Typhoid and other common waterborne diseases. However, the initial models had one distinct flaw: they could only provide water at room temperature. This led to a potential breeding ground for bacteria, which rather defeated the purpose of the invention. Undeterred, Haws and Taylor got together again to come up with the next evolution.
Originally, the inventors relied on large ice blocks gathered from rivers to help keep the water cool. As you can probably imagine, the early water coolers needed to be pretty large to cater for this. Thankfully, the process of keeping water cool has undergone some considerable advances since.
The Modern Water Cooler
Today, the watercooler is as popular as ever. The technology keeps getting better, making for sleek, easier to use machines. Purification is more effective, and these days, water coolers even come in eco-friendly models, too! And, as the water cooler continues to evolve, it’s likely to remain as the go to place for the next bit of hot workplace gossip.
Why Silver Springs?
Silver Springs is a water company in San Diego offering high quality Planet Ion products, water coolers and equipment. We provide Planet Ion delivery, as well as water coolers for rent or purchase. Our water company in San Diego also offers water testing services. To learn more about our water company in San Diego and our products/services visit our website today.
- September 15, 2016
- clean water, Uncategorized, Water Cooler