How Much Does an Office Water Delivery Service Cost?

When employers are looking for perks to offer their employees and create a more pleasant working environment, the easiest option – a water delivery service – isn't always the most obvious. That may be because office workers are usually portrayed as serious lovers of coffee. In reality, providing delicious drinking water for your employees is a healthy option that also boosts performance. In fact, proper hydration improves energy, and without the crash people often experience after drinking caffeinated or sugary beverages.

Office water delivery services vary greatly, particularly as regards cost and delivery schedule. Take the time to research your options to ensure you find the best service that fits both your needs and your budget.

Water Delivery Services Offered

When you're researching water delivery services, you need to look at a variety of factors, including amenities, delivery schedule options, subscription options, and water bottle size.

Amenities: This includes dispensers and water coolers, which some delivery services provide free of charge when you sign a contract while others expect you to lease or purchase the equipment. The choice of which option is better depends on your particular circumstances. For example, you may find that companies who include the dispenser with their service charge more. If you already have dispensers, this extra fee is unnecessary.

Delivery schedule options: Schedules vary and include weekly, monthly, quarterly, and bi-annually. Again, the best choice depends on your needs. If the service has a minimum order that you know will take you a month to get through, then monthly delivery is ideal. The best schedule is the one that meets your office's water consumption needs and storage capability.

Subscription: You find multiple subscription options even within the same water service, so look carefully at this. Options include one-time delivery as well as contracts or subscriptions lasting anywhere between one month and 12 months. You may find you receive discounted service for agreeing to a longer subscription period.

Water bottle size: Sizes typically range from 1 liter to 5 gallons. Some services also offer individual serving bottles. Again, the best choice is whichever one works best for your office.

How Much Does Water Delivery Cost?

With so many variables, precise estimates are impossible. It depends on how many employees you have, how often you expect delivery, whether you buy or lease the dispenser, and much more. However, there are general estimates you can use to calculate your likely water delivery costs.

On average, you can expect to pay between $6 and $10 per bottle, depending on the size. Bottle service works better for smaller companies, as larger organizations with many employees require so many bottles that storage often presents a challenge.

That doesn't mean that larger companies can't use a water delivery service; it only means that a water bottle service may not suit your needs. Instead, you might benefit more from a bottle-free, filtered, water cooler system. These services average between $30 and $50 per month for maintenance, upkeep, and regular filter changes. This is about the same price a smaller company would pay for five to 10 bottles. Another benefit here is that your costs are fixed, which isn't true with most bottle delivery services, since water usage often varies from week to week.

Additional Cost Considerations

In addition to your monthly costs, you may have up-front fees, such as installation charges, payable with your first delivery. You may also be asked to sign a contract. Contract lengths vary, but most range from 12 to 36 months. There isn't likely to be a fee for initiating the contract, but there usually is if you decide to terminate your service before the contract ends. Both bottled and non-bottle water delivery services charge early termination fees, so look at the fine print before signing anything.

You may also face fees for maintenance. Typically, these are part of the monthly cost and not charged separately, but they will be worked into your overall price. Ask your representative for a description of everything that goes into their monthly charge. If maintenance isn't included as a line item, you need to ask about the cost to have the unit serviced, particularly the non-bottle services, as these require regular filter changes.

Know What You Want

When looking at water delivery providers, ask the following questions:

• Do you offer different water services?
• Does the service provide other supplies?
• How long does the service contract last?
• Is maintenance included?
• What is the delivery schedule? (More frequent delivery means you have fewer storage concerns.)

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