Keeping your staff hydrated and happy might be a legal requirement but offering them access to bottled office water is a great way to communicate how much you value them. As Europe's leading supplier of office accessories and facilities, we can offer the best office water bottles at the best prices. With next-working-day delivery options, you can keep your employees' thirst quenched long before your supplies run dry.

When was bottled water invented?

Believe it or not, water was first sold in bottles in the early 17^th Century. Back then, spring water was believed to have medicinal properties, and the Holywell Bottling Plant was established in the Malvern Hills. Originally, the water was bottled by monks from Malvern's Great Priory before being handed out to the elderly and those with health problems. However, it wasn't until the beginning of the 18^th Century that the idea caught on in Europe. Fast forward 67 years, and America embraced the idea of bottled water, courtesy of Jackson's Spa in Boston.

Perhaps the most significant change to bottled water occurred in Switzerland in 1783. A certain Johann Jacob Schweppe discovered a way to add bubbles to his bottles. Natural spring water has a fizz to it. Schweppe found a method of carbonation that put the effervescence back into spring water, creating a more authentic drinking experience.

However, it wasn’t until the late 20^th Century that spring water for office and personal consumption really took off. By this time, the industry had discovered the benefits of plastic bottles, making mineral and spring water available to everyone. Purer than its tap-transferred counterpart, bottled water contains more concentrated quantities of elements such as sodium, calcium, and magnesium, making it the first choice for those who want to keep hydrated and soak up a few essential minerals at the same time.

Keep your employees hydrated

Introducing an office water supply is crucial to keeping your staff hydrated. According to the British Dietetic Association, “even when levels drop only slightly, we begin to feel the consequences.” The symptoms of a low fluid intake can include a dry mouth, lethargy, dizziness, and poor concentration. In accordance with the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, employers have a legal duty to ensure that their employees have access to clean and uncontaminated drinking water. While some rely on tap water, others are jumping on the bottled water bandwagon. Giving your employees access to a bottled office water supply allows them to hydrate while they're on the go, ensuring that they take in enough fluid to keep them hydrated and focused without sacrificing time spent going to the kitchen for a refill.

Flavoured water vs fizzy drinks

Flavoured bottled water for the office makes a great alternative to standard fizzy drinks. While a can of cola or lemonade might give a short lift, much of that is down to its sugar content. A typical can of something fizzy can contain up to 11g of sugar. While this might feel like a sweet treat, for office workers who are sitting at their desks for hours on end, it can spell disaster for their waistlines. In addition, unless those sugary calories are burnt off, they can lead to health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. To put it in context, it takes roughly three-quarters of an hour for a person of average build to walk off the sugar content of a can of pop.

Flavoured water has been around since the 16^th Century, usually using flavourings derived from flowers, such as violets and lavender. Modern techniques allow for the infusion of natural fruit flavourings, which carry far fewer calories than standard fizzy drinks and, in some cases, none at all. Flavoured water offers a tasty and guilt-free alternative if you want to avoid those sugar comedowns.

What about the environment?

For many, there is a concern that plastic bottles are bad for the environment. However, the British Plastics Federation has revealed that around 70% of these containers are made using polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In addition to being shatter-proof, lightweight, and resealable, PET plastic bottles are recyclable. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) states that bottles made from PET “can be used to make many new products, including new plastic bottles, clothing, fibrefill, industrial strapping, sheet and film and automotive parts.” In essence, the majority of plastic bottles containing water for office or personal use can help you and your office to reduce your carbon footprint.