A water fill station is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to provide access to hydration. This is true whether you are planning an event for 50 people or 5000 people.
Filling or hydration stations dispense potable water that event attendees can put into their refillable water bottles.
In addition to special events like concerts, festivals, and fairs, filling stations are a great option for schools, airports, gyms, office buildings, parks, and more.
What Features Does a Water Fill Station Offer?
- Filling Spout: This is a nozzle or spout designed to accommodate water bottles. There’s no need to put your mouth on the spout, as you would with a water fountain, nor do you need to press the opening of your water bottle directly to the spout. This prevents contamination and the spread of diseases.
- Electronic Sensor: Many hydration stations have a sensor that automatically starts the water flow when you put the bottle beneath the spout. This means there’s no need to touch or push any buttons, further reducing contamination.
- Filtered Water: All water-filling stations feature clean, pure water. Hydration stations include built-in filtration that removes tap water’s impurities and improves the water’s taste. Some filtration systems also feature sediment features, activated carbon filters, and UV sterilization.
- Information Display: Some water stations feature a digital display that allows users to know the temperature of the water before filling their bottles. These displays also provide information related to maintenance.
- Accessibility Features: Water stations are great for people with disabilities, which isn’t always true with traditional water fountains. Hydration stations are ADA-compliant and wheelchair accessible, which makes them great for any event or occasion.
- Sustainability: Water stations are great for promoting a sustainable option for water. These stations reduce the use of single-use plastic water bottles. Many even feature signs encouraging people to use refillable water bottles to protect the environment.
Hydration stations are hygienic, convenient, and environmentally friendly. They ensure that everyone can stay hydrated without creating waste.
What Should You Consider When Choosing a Water Fill Station for Your Event?
There are several things to consider before renting or purchasing a water-filling station for your event or location. For example:
- Capacity: The number of people attending your event or that pass through your location daily or weekly, and how much water they need, is one of your most important considerations. This is because it helps you determine how many hydration stations you require and the capacity of each of those stations. The worst thing that could happen is to have a filling station that runs out of water, and you’re providing no other options to event attendees. Make sure you choose a filling station with sufficient capacity for your event’s demand for clean drinking water.
- Location: You’ll want to consider where to locate your hydration station at your event in advance. The station should be easily accessible to event attendees and located centrally at your event. Think about how visible it will be and what the flow of foot traffic will look like. Do your best to avoid backups and long lines at the filling stations.
- Features of the Station: Different filling stations have different features. At a minimum, choose a filling station with filtration, accessibility features, bottle-filling spouts, and touch-free operations. If you think it will benefit your event, consider a water station with digital displays.
- Hygiene: One of the reasons why water-filling stations are superior to traditional water-filling stations is because they are more hygienic. They allow people to refill water bottles without exposing anyone to contamination. You can also look for refilling stations with easy-to-clean surfaces and touch-free operations.
- Sustainability: Another reason event planners choose hydration stations is because they are better for the environment. Allowing people to refill water bottles cuts down on using plastic water bottles at your event. These stations make it easy for people to stay hydrated without posing a threat to the environment.
- Logistics: When choosing a water-fill station for your event, evaluate logistical factors such as power source requirements, water supply connections, and setup and installation needs. Ensure the station can be easily transported, assembled, and operated within the event venue without disruptions.
- Budget: Consider your budget constraints when selecting a water-fill station for your event. Compare the costs and features of different station models to find one that offers the best value for your budget while meeting your event’s needs.
Make Sure Event Attendees Know They Won’t Need to Buy Plastic Bottles of Water
Encouraging attendees to bring refillable water bottles to an event and refill them to stay hydrated can be achieved through various strategies emphasizing convenience, sustainability, and awareness.
You can begin by promoting the use of refillable bottles through pre-event communications. Your message should highlight the benefits of using refillable bottles, such as reducing plastic waste and saving money on bottled water purchases.
During the event, you can incentivize attendees to bring their own bottles. This might include things like:
- Free refills
- Discounts on beverages
- Entries into raffles
- Wristbands
- Coupons for food and other things for using a refillable water bottle
Setting up prominently placed water fill stations equipped with bottle-filling spouts, filtration systems, and informative signage further encourages attendees to refill their bottles.
This ensures everyone stays hydrated without creating a lot of waste. Remember that many people won’t spend the money on bottled water, no matter how thirsty they might be during the event.
By offering free water refills, you can encourage people to stay hydrated – cutting down on medical emergencies.
Collaborating with sponsors or local businesses to distribute branded refillable bottles to attendees might also be a good idea, further incentivizing their use.
If you want a convenient way to provide hydration to the guests of your next event, contact Quench Buggy to ask about our water trailer rentals!