The number of gallons being flowed through water coolers has nearly doubled in the last half a decade, due to the growing concerns about the safety of tap water. The increase alone isn't directly sourced from offices but also schools, universities and hospitals are opting to exchange their water coolers for reverse osmosis systems.

This change is primarily motivated by the fact that coolers can provide the perfect breeding grounds for high amounts of unhealthy bacteria, which can cause diarrhea and unsettled stomachs. In a study conducted on a Boston University campus which examined their own water coolers, dangerous levels of potentially harmful bacteria were found. Of the ten water coolers that were tested, each contained a count exceeding 2,000 times the government's recommended quantity, or four times the 500 organism ceiling. These bacteria are not thought to be present when the water is delivered, but rather the dispensers and spigot are thought to be the major cause for concern. When connected to the cooler the bottle is sitting in a contaminated holder thus infecting the clean drinkable water.

Fortunately a process of reverse osmosis does not have the same amount of bacteria infecting the water. Instead of harboring bacteria reverse osmosis, purifies even the dirtiest of water. The process is called reverse osmosis given that that the method requires pressure to force unpolluted water through the membrane, leaving the impurities behind. Reverse osmosis process uses a semi-permeable membrane to separate and remove dissolved solids, pyrogens, submicron colloidal matter, viruses and bacteria from the water. This technique leaves no space for the common bacteria found in today's drinking water as it removes almost 99% of the total dissolved solids (TDS) and 99% of all bacteria, leaving the user with fresh clean drinkable water. Prices of reverse osmosis systems cost one time payment of $149 US. In comparison to the Water dispensers there is a significant difference. The lone standing base itself, costs starting at $122US plus the bottles of water. The expenses are endless and there is no guarantee your water is as clean as the reverse osmosis systems.