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UK water cooler manufacturer Ebac has outed production plans for its new Direct Dispense POU unit, which it believes is set to revolutionise the POU market.

Available from May 2008, the newcomer has been developed to challenge existing POU coolers by claiming to offer a 98% reduced chance of microbiological contamination, compared to models that house a standard reservoir.

According to the County Durham based firm, some POU coolers are open to microbiological vulnerability as the larger their surface area, the greater the chance that water contamination will occur. “An ordinary reservoir has a typical water volume of 2,500ml and a typical surface area of 1,000cm2, which offers a huge amount of microbiological vulnerability,” it explained.

“Even with direct chill, the typical water volume is 500ml, which is significantly lower in volume to an ordinary reservoir, but the surface area increases to 1600cm2 , giving it a greater vulnerability to microbiological growth. UV protected reservoirs show some improvement with 60ml water volume and 200cm2 surface area, but there are still parts of the cooler the ultraviolet light can’t reach, such as pipes and taps.”

Ebac’s new model offers a 30ml water volume and 100cm2 surface area, which it believes could lessen the microbiological risk.

Ebac Chairman John Elliott MBE commented: “Microbiological vulnerability in the POU market is very important to water cooler businesses and distributors. Our customers want a product that differentiates them from their competitors and gives them a competitive advantage. Not only are we providing a product that our customers want, but we are also providing a product that their customers want too.”

Direct Dispense technology also differs to traditional POU coolers in the way it filters water. As with all POU coolers, water is supplied directly from the mains, which has been disinfected (typically with chlorine in the UK) to remove bacteria and ensure that it remains safe to drink by the time it reaches the public.

With Direct Dispense, the water supply is not filtered before entering the cooler reservoir, but immediately prior to the water being dispensed. Therefore, the disinfectant properties of the mains supplied water stop any bacteria growth occurring in the reservoir or connected parts. It is not until water is dispensed that it passes through a filter, ensuring high quality water with the least possible chance of contamination.

Filter replacement should also be easier than everwith an Ebac POU cooler as its “slot and go” cartridge can be changed in a matter of seconds with minimal effort. The unit is then 100% sanitised as all parts susceptible to microbiological vulnerability have been replaced.

A further innovation is a patented flood prevention device. The StopMax has been designed to provide peace of mind against accidental flooding, which has always been a concern with POU units.

The first Direct Dispense machine on the market, Ebac’s new model is based on its best selling FMax platform, with all of the same features,such as an energy saving hot tank and high burst rate.

“It is great to break the boundaries of innovation in water cooler design with the Direct Dispense cooler,” said Technical Director, Philip Walton. “The pre-production model has already received an enthusiastic response from significant customers in the industry, which further demonstrates the demand for such a product in the marketplace.”