Every office on a jug route has a water jug person, and nobody applied for the job. The real choice is not whether to drink filtered water but how it reaches the break room: on a truck every few weeks, or from the building’s own line. The delivery fees below come from ReadyRefresh’s published terms, because that is the vendor whose terms we could read. We are Aqualume, a bottleless provider, so weigh our side accordingly. Some buildings are better off staying on jugs, and we say which near the end.
What jug delivery actually demands of your staff
A vendor such as Sparkletts, Crystal Springs or ReadyRefresh leaves 3- or 5-gallon jugs on a route schedule, and someone on your team takes over the rest: lifting, swapping, stacking empties, phoning for more when the cooler runs dry mid-week. Contract terms vary by vendor. ReadyRefresh’s (readyrefresh.com/en/terms, effective June 23, 2026) set an initial term on the order form and then run month to month on 30 days’ notice. It works. It is also the least popular chore in the building.
The cost of jugs beyond the invoice
Whoever’s name is on the truck, jugs cost an office more than the invoice shows:
- Lifting. Water weighs about 8.3 pounds a gallon, so a full 5-gallon jug is over 40 pounds before the bottle. It gets carried onto the cooler every swap, usually by whoever sits nearest the break room.
- Empties. They need floor space and a head count, and ReadyRefresh bills any bottle you don’t return at full replacement value.
- Fees. ReadyRefresh’s terms allow bottle deposits up to $40 a bottle and delivery fees up to $20. Those are ceilings, not every account’s bill.
How an Aqualume cooler replaces the route
A bottleless water cooler taps your cold water line and treats it on the spot. The water goes through seven stages, from sediment to a final taste and odor polish: pre-carbon handles chlorine, the RO/UF membrane handles dissolved solids, and pH balance, sanitization and a nutrient boost sit in between. Hot, cold or ambient depending on the model, and some pour ice. The plan covers machine, installation, scheduled service and repairs; filters are the one extra.
Bottled Delivery vs. Aqualume Bottleless
| Bottled Delivery | Aqualume Bottleless | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | Recurring drop-offs | One install on your water line, included in the plan |
| What you pay | Jug price, plus any deposits and delivery fees the account carries | From $80 a month*; replacement filters billed separately, about once a year. *Starting price; final pricing depends on the machine and site. |
| Commitment | Initial term on the order form (one year for filtration rentals), then month to month | Set per site, in writing, before you sign |
| Who carries it | A 40-pound jug on every swap | Nobody lifts anything |
| The empties | Plastic jugs in, empties out | No jugs to haul or return |
| Where it is filtered | Treated at the bottling plant | Seven stages at the tap |
| If a delivery is late | Possible between deliveries | Not while the building line is running |
Who Aqualume serves, and who should stay on jugs
Aqualume serves businesses only: offices, schools, gyms, manufacturing floors, and medical practices across Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire. We do not deliver bottled water, and we do not serve residential customers. A business with no cold water line near the break room, or a team small enough that a few cases a month cover it, may find jugs simpler. If jugs wear on your staff, a technician is on-site within 2 business days of a service call (support is Mon to Fri, 8 AM to 5 PM).
Ready to Stop Wrestling Water Jugs?
Start the 7-day free trial (a site visit is part of it). Call 833-426-5863, Mon to Fri, 8 AM to 5 PM, or request a quote online.
Want to see an Aqualume machine first? Look at the Cascade freestanding hot and cold water dispenser, read about office water solutions, or check water dispensers in Los Angeles. Every install starts with a 7-day free trial.
Comparing quotes?
Get Aqualume's price for your office in one call.
Plans from $80/mo*. Seven models, one 7-stage filtration system, service across LA, Orange County and the Inland Empire.
Free 7-day trial
Try a bottleless cooler in your office before you sign.
- 7-day free trial, we take it back if it isn't right
- Plumbed in: no jugs to lift, store or reorder
- A local technician, not a national call centre
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*Starting price; final pricing depends on the machine and site.
