At a water bottling plant, great efforts are made to ensure the water is in top condition.
From the treatment methods right to the bottling line. They test the water every hour to make sure it's pure.
But what happens when these bottles get to your home or office is just as important.
People often forget their coolers need regular cleaning and disinfecting
"I would at least do it once every couple of months," said Health Inspector Dean Scoville.
Scoville says ignoring your water cooler poses potential health risks.
You may not notice it because some of the most dangerous bacteria don't leave any taste
"That's the scary part yes, he said."That's why we want to clean and disinfect it."
So the coolers need regular cleaning.
Here's how to do it.
If the cooler is electric, first unplug it. Remove the water bottle and take a look. If the cooler is a little dirty, that's a breeding ground for bacteria
Remove the plastic top and wash those separately. Then drain the reservoir completely.
If the cooler is cold water only, please follow these instructions:
Mix up a solution of one teaspoon of bleach for every liter of water. That's all you need.
"More isn't better. That might be a misconception out there. People think lets add more and it's really going to do a good disinfection job,'' said Scoville. "But in fact you're just going to have a stronger odor in there," he said.
Fill the reservoir to the top, and run a little bit through the lines.
Then let it sit for five minutes. Drain the reservoir again and keep rinsing until there is no evidence of chlorine, taste or odor.
Then put it all back together and put the bottle back on top. If the cooler is both hot and cold water, don't use bleach. Use boiling water instead and again leave it for 5 full minutes
That also serves as a disinfectant. Water cooler owners need to remember that it's chlorine for cold -- boiling water for hot. Just be sure you don't scald yourself.
With a report by CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen
