While hydration is important to workplace productivity and employee health, it is equally important to consider how to eliminate needless expenses. When running a business, it’s essential to consider every expense, including something as seemingly minor as the cost of water. This blog will delve into the costs associated with providing bottled water for offices ranging from 4-person to 20-person teams. In the end, one might recognize the value of alternative hydration methods, not only to save money but to promote better health for individuals and the environment!
Bottled Water Options for the Workplace
In this blog, we compare the costs of 40-pack bottled water from Walmart with 5-gallon water jugs from the grocery store. Nevertheless, some other worthwhile considerations might include the following:
Carry weight: a 40-pack of bottled water costs roughly 42 pounds. A 5-gallon jug weighs nearly the same amount, which is quite heavy for an average front office employee!
Delivery: the delivery costs are not included in this analysis, but contribute significantly to costs, over time. On the low end, a $9.99 delivery fee is applied per month, adding up to $119.88 per year!
Storage: where does one store all of the pre-ordered water bottles in the office, and for how long are they safe for consumption? These questions require answers from the workplace administrators, as well as several helping hands to move and replace the bottles in and out of storage.
Quality: have you ever wondered about the quality of your workplace drinking water? If you rely upon tap water, bottled water, or plastic water jugs, you’d probably be disappointed to learn about the poor quality taste and health rating of your drinking water!
Healthy Water Consumption
Before diving into the costs, it’s important to understand the daily water needs for adults. On average, a male adult requires 3.2 quarts of water per work day, equivalent to six to seven 16-ounce water bottles or 12.8 cups. In contrast, a female adult needs about 2.3 quarts per work day, translating to four to five 16-ounce water bottles or 9.2 cups. Combining the consumption of just one average male and one average female using the above measures, (for a two-person workplace team), this would translate to 110 quarts, 440 cups, 27.5 gallons, 5-6 water jugs or 200-240 pieces of plastic bottled water per month!
Cost Analysis: Bottled Water vs. Water Jugs
Bottled Water (a 40-pack from Walmart) amounts to 20 quarts, 80 cups, 640 oz
Unit Cost: Approximately $5.36 per 40-pack of 16 ounce bottled water.
Monthly Cost per 2-person team: $26.80-$32.16 for 5-6 packs, excluding delivery.
Monthly Cost per 6-person team: $80.40 for 15 packs of 40, excluding delivery.
Monthly Cost per 12-person team: $160.80 for 30 packs of 40, excluding delivery.
Monthly Cost per 18-person team: $241.20 for 45 packs of 40, excluding delivery.
5-gallon Water Jugs also amounts to 20 quarts, 80 cups, 640 oz
Unit Cost: on the low end, a 5-gal jug costs approximately $7.49; prices vary and fluctuate often.
Monthly Cost per 2-person team: $37.45-$44.94 for 5-6 five-gallon jugs, excluding delivery.
Monthly Cost per 6-person team: $112.35 for 15 jugs, excluding delivery.
Monthly Cost per 12-person team: $224.70 for 30 jugs excluding delivery.
Monthly Cost per 18-person team: $337.05 for 45 jugs, excluding delivery.
Saving Money by Avoiding Bottled Water
To reduce water expenses in the workplace, consider alternatives to bottled water. Investing in a water filtration system can be a cost-effective solution. These systems, connected directly to the office’s water supply, provide an unlimited supply of pure, filtered water. This option eliminates the need for plastic bottles, reducing both costs and environmental impact. Imagine saving hundreds of dollars, all the while improving the quality of taste, and purity of your drinking water.
Providing employees with reusable water bottles and installing water coolers, otherwise known as office water dispensers, can further encourage sustainable practices. Over time, these changes not only save money but also contribute to a healthier and more environmentally conscious workplace. Consider this change to your workplace a tasteful benefit to your hydration! Choose the right purification system for your workplace with the best customer service out there; call 844-776-0588 or visit their website. Clearly. Pure. Water.
