Tag Archives: water dispenser

Taiwan’s Water Dispenser

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Drinking water dispenser at the train station

Ideally, something so essential such as potable drinking water should be accessible for free in public places like parks, museums, transportation hubs, airports, tourist sites, etc. Countries who can afford to provide free drinking water in their cities, Japan for example, typically have drinking fountains everywhere.

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Drinking water dispenser at Chiang Kai Shek Memorial

I’m surprised that in Taiwan, not only that drinking water is accessible to the public, but they spend considerably more in order to provide hot and cold water for free. Imagine how convenient that is. One can eat cup noodles practically anywhere. Same is true for any ‘just add hot water’ sort of instant food or beverages. Thus, instead of drinking fountains, Taiwan makes use of an upright water dispenser with three faucets — for hot, tepid, and cold water. This type of applianceĀ labeled as Digital Drinking Fountain is ubiquitous in Taiwan.

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Drinking water dispenser at the hotel hallway

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Drinking water dispenser at Taipei Zoo. Hot water as needed and by request only.

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Refilling one’s water bottle instead of buying bottled water is encouraged in Taiwan

Piso Water

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ATM or iWater? (ATM – Automated Tubig Machine)

Such a common sight in Cebu is this drinking water vending machine of various color, model and style (of its box). What is typical is the faucet, the round 5 gallon bottled water as its source, piso coin slot, and the glassful amount of water that comes out for every one peso coin eaten.

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Lesser frequency of replacing the 5 gallon purified water in this dual container model

One has to bring some container to catch the water that automatically comes out of the spout once you drop one peso inside. I expect the water to be tepid, but amazingly it was cold.

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A trash receptacle at the side of the tubig machine

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Looks like a karaoke machine

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This one is chained as precautionary measure against thieves that may cart it away I suppose. Love the mayana plants on the roof