What you need to know about school water fountain sanitation

A school water fountain or water cooler is an important addition that can help keep pupils hydrated and alert throughout the school day.

However, when not properly installed or maintained, they can pose a health risk to students. Read on to find out about the risks and how you can overcome them with a little planning and professional assistance.

School water fountain contamination

26% of water fountains and coolers were found to be bacterially contaminated, according to a microbiological study from the Consumer Focus Group.

A separate study found that an average school water fountain tap could contain anywhere from 62,000 to 2.7 million bacteria per square inch.

Fountains with low water pressure were found to be among the most contaminated, housing bacteria including:

• E. coli and Enterococcus faecalis from human and animal faeces
• Staphylococcus aureus from the human respiratory system
• Pseudomonas from stagnant water

These bacteria are associated with a host of related conditions, such as:

• Rotavirus
• Norovirus
• Influenza A
• E. coli infection
• Shigellosis
• Giardiasis

Causes of contamination

A school water fountain may become contaminated as a result of:

• Poor cleaning/maintenance of unit, filters and pipework
• Insufficient personal hygiene of users/contact with pupils’ mouths and hands
• Incorrectly fitted systems
• Exposure to direct sunlight, causing algal growth

How to keep your pupils safe and hydrated

Installing a school water fountain or cooler only brings risks when the unit is poorly situated or improperly maintained. Here’s how to keep your pupils properly hydrated and safe from infection:

Where to put your school water cooler

The position of your school water cooler will depend on the spaces you have available. However, these are some important rules to follow:

• Avoid locating them in or near toilets
• Keep them away from direct sunlight
• Make sure it’s placed in a spot where staff can observe usage

Water cooler maintenance

Effective water cooler maintenance is a team effort involving on-site janitorial staff and trained external professionals.

On-site maintenance

These are the maintenance duties your on-site staff should be completing as part of a noted cleaning rota:

• Flush cooler/fountain once per week in normal conditions
• Wash external surfaces with detergent daily
• Clean drip tray (if present) once per week
• Clean thoroughly if out of use for two weeks or more
• Check ventilation grilles monthly, removing dust and lint

Professional maintenance

These are the maintenance duties you’ll need to call in qualified engineers to assist with. Or, if you’re renting equipment, will be carried out as part of your overall package:

• Change the filter (if present) every six months
• Sanitise water feed pipework at the start of each term
• Cleaning ventilation grilles of debris that can’t be accessed externally

School water fountain installation and maintenance needn’t be a headache. With a rental agreement tailored for schools from Utility Rentals, delivery and installation come as part of the package. You’ll also get a parts and labour warranty for the whole rental term, plus two sanitisation visits every year.

Call on Utility Rentals to get your school the water fountains and coolers you need to keep pupils healthy and hydrated.