It’s no surprise that when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, leading manufacturers around the world started rushing to see if they could engineer their commercial grade filtered drinking water taps to be touch free. It just makes perfect sense. If you can minimise viral spread by reducing the number of things that the public or your staff have to touch, then that’s a smart investment.
Over the last six months, smart clients from around Australia have been calling us for advice, asking what their best options were for sensor activated drinking taps. We were already busy with these enquiries, but calls have accelerated dramatically over the last week from Victoria, as after 16 days of no new COVID cases, there seems real optimism that thousands of offices may welcome staff back soon.
Summer is around the corner, and employers are legally obligated to ensure staff can hydrate. Removing or taping-off taps is not an option. Putting aside the legal, safety and ethical issues, hydration is essential for productivity. Never before has there been a stronger business case to ensure that staff can hydrate safely at work. Providing great options at work also minimises the number of trips down to the café by workers – which is also good for minimising viral transmission.
Trailing behind the other states, many Facilities Managers in Melbourne have finally gotten the nod to create proposals to prepare offices for ‘COVID normal.’ Unsurprisingly, after months of their bosses often telling them to wait, now everything is a mad rush.
Congratulations to innovative Australian brand Zip for reacting to the pandemic to offer a touch free version of a filtered drinking water tap. It’s called the Zip Hydrotap Touch Free Wave.
This tap is available from January and is highly likely to be an instant hit in hospitals, schools, offices - anywhere workplace safety is top priority.
The Zip HydroTap Touch free is available in these six combinations:
- Boiling
- Chilled
- Boiling and Chilled
- Chilled and sparkling
- Boiling and ambient
- Boiling, chilled and sparkling
Systems are available in all the following commercial capacities. 1-20 people, 21-40, 41-60 and 60-100 people.
To activate the infrared sensors, simply wave your hand near the part of the device that corresponds to the type of water you desire. For example, on the top model, simply wave your hand to the left of the device for boiling water, over the top for sparkling water, and to the right for chilled water.
Some key factors employers need to understand with relation to complex manufactured products such as sensor activated filtered drinking water taps:
- Some brands already have a waiting list. We are in the middle of the biggest global pandemic for the last 100 years, so it not surprising that certain products are on backorder. (Solution: call us for a timing estimate across the suite of leading brands that we offer.)
- These devices take time manufacture. When the pandemic hit, manufacturers, and even gin refineries started quicky pivoting and pumping out tonnes of sanitiser. Sensor taps are more complex, and even the Australian made options often require components from a global supply chain. (Solution: Call us to a timing estimate across our brand options.)
We’re pleased to consult with employers around Australia, looking for COVID-safe solutions with their filtered drinking water systems.
If you’re considering investing in a Zip, Billi, Birko, Boiling Billy, Whelan or any other major brand of filtered water tap for your organisation, get a free independent opinion from AquaClear between 7am-5pm eastern on 1300 070 007.
