Frequently Asked Questions

How does bottled water differ from tap water?
Is Chlorine in tap water harmful?
How does drinking bottled water affect the environment?
Do I need to drink purified water?
What is purified water?
What is Reverse Osmosis (R.O.)?
What process does the Ecos WaterStation take to ensure pure, safe, high quality, and great-tasting water?
Where are the best places to use an Ecos WaterStation?
Are the Ecos WaterStations used for selling water to consumers or for delivering water for free to employees or customers?
What retail payment methods are available on the Ecos WaterStation??
How much water can you get at one time from the Ecos WaterStation?
Is the water chilled or un-chilled?
What are the alternatives open to business wanting to offer purified water to their customers and employees?
What benefits are there to the Ecos Series 600 WaterStation over the 5-gallon jug delivery method in the Workplace?
What benefits are there to the Ecos Series 600 WaterStation over the under-the-sink purifier water delivery method in the Workplace?
What are the purchasing options you offer for the Series 600 Water Station?
What Certifications does the WaterStation have?
Is there a warranty on the WaterStation?
What is required for installation and use of the WaterStation?

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How does bottled water differ from tap water?

The main differences between bottled water and tap water are the source, the taste and the level of treatment that are used in bottled water versus tap water. Municipalities and private water utilities most often use chlorine to disinfect tap water, which can leave an aftertaste and lead to the development of chlorination byproducts. Many bottled water producers use ozone or ultraviolet disinfection instead.

As a result of the concern by consumers about the quality and taste of Tap water, bottled water is the fastest growing segment of the entire beverage industry at an 8.7 percent growth rate in dollar sales for 2006, second only to soft drinks in popularity and rapidly narrowing the gap.

However, the bottled water industry is reaching its tipping point. Today environmental, citizen and consumer advocacy groups, including Food & Water Watch, are speaking out against the bottled water industry's harmful impacts on American communities. Plastic bottles -- some 3 million of them every day -- enter the waste stream, where they take up space in landfills or are incinerated, and yield toxic fumes.

Is Chlorine in tap water harmful?

Chlorine was first added to a community water system in 1908 in Chicago and was instrumental in eliminating many types of waterborne disease such as cholera and typhoid fever. Chlorine has been used to disinfect municipal water for over 90 years and has had some positive effects on public health. In the 1970's, it was discovered that chlorine, when added to water, forms Trihalomethanes (chlorinated byproducts) by combining with certain naturally occurring organic matter such as vegetation and algae. In 1992 the American Journal of Public Health published a report that showed a 15% to 35% increase in certain types of cancer for people who consume chlorinated water. This report also stated that much of these effects were due to showering in chlorinated water. The National Cancer Institute estimates cancer risks for people who consume chlorinated water to be 93% higher than for people who do not. The effects of drinking chlorinated water have been debated for decades. However, most experts now agree that there are some significant risks related to consuming chlorine and chlorinated byproducts.

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How does drinking bottled water affect the environment?

As a result of the concern by consumers about the quality and taste of tap water, bottled water is the fastest growing segment of the entire beverage industry at an 8.7 percent growth rate in dollar sales for 2006, second only to soft drinks in popularity and rapidly narrowing the gap.

However, the bottled water industry is reaching its tipping point. Today environmental, citizen and consumer advocacy groups, including Food & Water Watch, are speaking out against the bottled water industry's harmful impacts on American communities. Plastic bottles -- some 3 million of them every day -- enter the waste stream, where they take up space in landfills or are incinerated, and yield toxic fumes.

In 2006, the equivalent of 2 billion half-liter bottles of water were shipped to U.S. ports, creating thousands of tons of global warming pollution and other air pollution. In New York City alone, the transportation of bottled water from Western Europe released an estimated 3,800 tons of global warming pollution into the atmosphere. In California, 18 million gallons of bottled water were shipped in from Fiji in 2006, producing about 2,500 tons of global warming pollution.

And while the bottles come from far away, most of them end up close to home -- in a landfill. Most bottled water comes in recyclable PET plastic bottles, but only about 13 percent of the bottles we use get recycled. In 2005, 2 million tons of plastic water bottles ended up clogging landfills instead of getting recycled.

Do I need to drink purified water? 

Yes, although water in the lakes, streams, rivers and wells may appear to be clean, nature makes it an ideal breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria and viruses. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that 90% of the world's fresh water is contaminated by industrial contaminant. A recent Ralph Nader Report stated "after reviewing over 10,000 pages of EPA documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act, over 2,300 chemicals that can cause cancer have been detected in our tap water. It makes sense to protect your health with a water filter bottle.

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What is purified water?

Purified water is achieved by using multiple levels of water purification, including a process called Reverse Osmosis (R.O.), which allows only the sophisticate molecules of pure water to pass.

The WaterStation uses reverse osmosis to purify its high quality drinking water and to produce water that meets the most demanding water filtration specifications that are currently in place.

What is Reverse Osmosis (R.O.)?

Reverse osmosis is the finest water filtration method known. This process will allow the removal of particles as small as ions from a solution.

Reverse osmosis is used to purify water and remove salts and other impurities in order to improve the color, taste or properties of the fluid.

Reverse osmosis uses a membrane that is semi-permeable, allowing the fluid that is being purified to pass through it, while rejecting other ions and contaminants from passing.

Most reverse osmosis technology uses a process known as cross-flow to allow the R.O. membrane to continually clean itself.

The process of reverse osmosis requires a driving force to push the fluid through the membrane, and the most common force is household water pressure or pressure from a pump. The higher the pressure, the larger the driving force.

The WaterStation uses reverse osmosis to purify its high quality drinking water and to produce water that meets the most demanding water filtration specifications that are currently in place.

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What process does the Ecos WaterStation take to ensure pure, safe, high quality, and great-tasting water?

Using the most advanced water purification and water filtration technology, the Ecos WaterStation is the World's first fully certified high-capacity water purifier and vending machine that dispenses chilled, freshly treated pure water. We use FIVE levels of purification, including reverse osmosis and UV (Ultra Violet) to ensure your water is fresh, safe, and great tasting!

Our unique water purification technology treats potable water from the local supply in a series of process steps to remove silt and suspended solids, chemicals and metals through a four stage filtration process. It then removes dissolved solids from the water utilizing reverse osmosis. It is then chilled. Finally, it is sterilized with ultra-violet light to kill bacteria, organisms and other pathogens to ensure freshly sterilized, great tasting, and safe water every time!

Where are the best places to use an Ecos WaterStation?

Our WaterStation was designed to be used in virtually any environment with a municipal water supply. Our WaterStations are designed with a unique, compact and aesthetic design to be placed indoors wherever people congregate. This could be an office facility, a university, a convenience store, a residential high-rise apartment building, or a military base. There are endless locations that could benefit from crisp, cold, great-tasting water at a great price!

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Are the Ecos WaterStations used for selling water to consumers or for delivering water for free to employees or customers?

Both! Our unique design allows us to configure each WaterStation to your specific requirements. We offer either a Point-of-Sale (POS) or a Point-of-Use design depending on your organizations needs.

What retail payment methods are available on the Ecos WaterStation?

Our Water Station is flexible and offers several retail configurations, including coin/bill acceptors and changers, as well as allowing you to utilize the latest SmartCard technology to provide a pay-for-use model on pre-paid or monthly billed cards.

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How much water can you get at one time from the Ecos WaterStation?

The WaterStation Series 600 will fill any size container from a 3 oz. cup up to and including a 5-gallon jug quickly and conveniently. This high volume water purification and water filtration dispenser will fill a sports bottle in seconds.

Is the water chilled or un-chilled?

Our water purification machine is flexible and can be configured to provide either chilled or un-chilled water to your customers. Typically, in the popular single-serve environment, you would want to have the chiller installed. For bulk-serve usage you would most likely want to have the un-chilled model.

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What are the alternatives open to business wanting to offer purified water to their customers and employees?

There are several water purification products on the market today for businesses and consumers to get high quality, good tasting water. In the business arena, companies typically have two choices for single serve water for their employees or customers; they either provide “water coolers” with 5-gallon jugs, or they supply or sell single-serve plastic bottled water. The fact is that most 5-gallon delivery services work out to about $1.60 per gallon, which is at any convenience store, a retail price for chilled purified water. There are also volume and convenience issues with the 5-gallon jug, much less the storage and refill requirements.

In an effort to reduce costs, more companies are moving to an additional method: In-home and in-office purification systems. This water purification solution, while lower cost, is also a lower quality purified water. The “under the sink” water purification systems are not commercial grade and do not meet the same quality and taste requirements that the consumer is demanding. They also do not fulfill volume requirements for larger facilities, and generally do not supply crisp, chilled water.

At this time, alternative water purification solutions have not been introduced in the market to improve upon these models, except perhaps on-site purifiers, which have limitations and weaknesses in the key consumer requirements: quality & safety and taste & convenience.

Thanks to water purification technology breakthroughs, now there is a new way to provide safe, great-tasting water to your customers and employees! Look no further to find the perfect water purification alternative to your current water delivery methods, as well as a real, effective water purification program to introduce Eco-Friendly Products in your location. Ecos Water provides flexible water purification options and solutions with our Series 600 WaterStations.

What benefits are there to the Ecos Series 600 WaterStation over the 5-gallon jug delivery method in the Workplace?

• Our products are bottle free! We are helping you show your employees and customers that you are environmentally conscious and are taking decisive steps to GO GREEN
• Our rental program allows you to provide commercial grade water with no upfront fees and a low monthly cost and small usage fees
• For employers with over 50 employees, we are saving you money! At 200 gallons per month, you can expect to save about 50% over your current water bill! We estimate conservatively that an individual will consume about 3 gallons of water per month in the workplace. Our pricing model is set to start saving them money at about 150 gallons per month
• For larger offices, there is a capacity issue for chilled water, as typically they only can “hold” about 2 liters of chilled water at a time. Our product holds TEN TIMES that amount of ready to serve chilled water as a commercial grade product
• These water coolers are meant to fill small cups; people that drink a lot of water constantly have to go refill their cup, or stand there while a sports bottle or quart fills. Our product fills a sports bottle in seconds.

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What benefits are there to the Ecos Series 600 WaterStation over the under-the-sink purifier water delivery method in the Workplace?

• Not commercial grade water – these are simple purifiers that do not qualify as “Commercial Grade”. Many people do not perceive these purifiers to be the same quality, safety, and taste as bottled water (and they are correct). For this reason, many employees still go out and purchase bottled water
• Locations are limited to kitchen sinks; our product is more flexible in the location placement
• For larger offices, there is a capacity issue for chilled, as typically they only can “hold” about two liters of chilled water at a time. Our water purification product holds TEN TIMES that amount of ready to serve chilled water as a commercial grade product
• These purifiers are meant to fill small cups; people that drink a lot of water constantly have to go refill their cup, or stand there while a sports bottle or quart fills. Our product fills a sports bottle in seconds.

What are the purchasing options you offer for the Series 600 Water Station?

Direct Purchase

You have the opportunity to purchase, own and operate our Series 600 WaterStation. Our water purification system is flexible and offers several retail configurations, including coin/bill acceptors and changers, as well as allowing you to utilize the latest SmartCard technology to provide a pay-for-use model on pre-paid or monthly billed cards. Our SmartCard can be used for sale in convenience stores, commissaries, and other locations providing a branded “Water Card”. These can be sold with pre-paid amounts, such as $10, $20, or more, for use on any WaterStation at your high-volume consumer locations with WaterStations that have a SmartCard Reader installed.
At a price point well below other commercial grade equipment, and much more lucrative than current revenue share opportunities, the Ecos Water Station is the best water purification solution for you!

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Rental Program

Many employers like yourselves recognize the benefits of having fresh, quality water readily available to your employees. There are many tangible benefits to the employer with studies showing the health and morale benefits of well hydrated employees. This is also a common perk that most companies offer for relatively low cost to them.
Our water purification equipment rental program allows you to provide commercial grade water with no upfront fees and a low monthly cost and small usage fees.

For employers with over 50 employees, we are saving you money! At 200 gallons per month, you can expect to save about 50% over your current water bill! We estimate conservatively that an individual will consume about 3 gallons of water per month in the workplace. Our pricing model is set to start saving them money at about 150 gallons per month.

For larger offices, there is a capacity issue for chilled water, as typically they only can “hold” about 2 liters of chilled water at a time. Our water purification product holds TEN TIMES that amount of ready to serve chilled water as a commercial grade product.

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Revenue Share

Landlords, building owners, and developers are looking for ways to differentiate themselves in the rental, condominium, and resort or recreational market. Resort communities, hotels, and other large consumer residential or recreational facilities need to provide solutions to their customers for fresh, safe, great-tasting water. Ecos Water recognized this need and the limited water purification solutions offered today for eco-friendly, cost competitive, great-tasting water.

As a result, we developed the original water purification system specifically for the high rise residential environment. This environment proved to be the perfect solution for providing water purification equipment to tenants or residents because in such an environment one vending machine on the ground floor facilitates all residents in an efficient and cost effective way.

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For these environments, meeting minimum occupation requirements, we offer a lucrative revenue share water purification program for the landlord or building owner, as well as an extremely cost-effective way to deliver safe, great-tasting water to the tenants and residents. Our water purification system is flexible and offers several configurations, including coin/bill acceptors and changers, as well as allowing you to utilize the latest SmartCard technology to provide a pay-for-use model on pre-paid or monthly billed cards.

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What Certifications does the WaterStation have?

The WaterStation 600 removes impurities with five stages of filtration to clarify and improve taste prior to treatment with ultra violet light that kills bacteria and pathogens to produce safer, great tasting water. Our water purification system has been through rigorous testing and has been NAMA certified. NAMA (National Automatic Merchandising Association) represents the foremost group in certifying water vending and water delivery in the US and Canada, and is recognized world-wide as a leader in excellence and quality.

With NAMA, machines are evaluated to the applicable design and construction specifications of the latest edition of the U.S. Public Health Service Model Food Code, and the further requirements of the NAMA Standard for the Sanitary Design and Construction of Food and Beverage Vending Machines. All evaluations are conducted by public health consultants who are specialists in public health and environmental issues. These consultants are retained under contract with NAMA.

Is there a warranty on the WaterStation?

The WaterStation carries a one year warranty. Servicing options vary based on location and type of purchase/revenue model. Extended warranties are available with an annually renewable remote monitoring service contract.

What is required for installation and use of the WaterStation?

Upon delivery, our customers receive an installation and user manual. In addition, our on-site service team may be available, depending on your location. Please do not hesitate to ask, as our services are far-reaching and new contracted service professionals are coming on board!

In general, all that is required is connection to your municipal main water line, power and space to fit the compact equipment. If desired, a monitoring service will also require connection to the Internet.
Dimensions: 24” (W) x 34” (D) x 64” (H)
Floor Space: 24” x 34”
Tap Water Pipe:  ¼ inch to ½ inch
Electrical Supply: 120VAC/60Hz, 5A; or 230VAC/50Hz, 3A

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