5 Gal Bottle Water Dispenser, water not clear coming out?

[Scott Townsend]

So I have a GE water dispenser that has Hot, Cold and a 'Fridge'

So lately the watter is coming out either Green or Brown, (I'd have to ask someone as I cant see the difference between the two colors)

The Water in the 5 gallon bottle is clear and looks clean. If I fill a few glasses of water it comes clear. The unit is in my office, which usually has the lights off and has never seen the light of day. So Its not algee from the sun or anything.

1) What is it? 2) Why is it there? 3) what is the best way to get rid of it?

there is still about 3 gallons of water in the bottle. Any tricks for getting the bottle off without making a mess?

Thanks, Scott

[betsyb]

Have you had it long? If so, try cleaning it with white vinegar and keep rinsing till the color leaves.

[Scott Townsend]

Had it maybe a year or more. I have one at home that is much older.

I can run 2 or three glasses through it and it is clear. I'll try the Vinegar to disenfect it. Any tricks to get the bottle of water out?

Scott Have you had it long? If so, try cleaning it with white vinegar and keep

[HeyBub]

Hmm.

1. Duct tape the bottle to the dispenser. Turn the whole thing upside down. Remove duct tape. Remove dispenser.

This probably won't work in that there's water in the internal resevior.

1. Get a moving dolly. Cart the whole enchalada into the parking lot and disassemble there.

1. These "bottles" are plastic, right? Drill a teeny hole in the plastic, as low as you can get, and catch the water stream in a bucket.

[news]

[Scott Townsend]

1. Set a bunch of Plants around the dispenser and water them as you take the bottle off

1. Get the Staff >>>>

[dkhedmo]

Do you own the dispenser, or are you renting it from a water delivery company? If you're renting it, they might either clean it for you or swap it out for a new machine. Otherwise, you've got to clean ti yourself, as others have recommended.

Karen

Scott Townsend wrote:

[Roger Shoaf]

I think this is the correct approach, but I would suggest that after draining the cooler unplug it and take it outside. Use dish washing detergent and water to wash as much of the crud out as you can and rinse well.

Now mix a bucket of hot water and add 1/2 cup of bleach per gallon and fill up the cooler about 3/4 with this and shake things around a bit to get any bubbles to pop. Now top it off, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Drain the cooler through each of the taps

This will kill everything that is there. Now rinse everything with tap water until you can no longer smell the chlorine.

Do not be tempted to think that more is better. Making the bleach solution stronger does not kill any more bugs and the stronger you make it and the longer you let it set the more likely you are to get corrosion on things you do not want to corrode.

The contamination was likely caused by the outside of the bottle. It is good practice to clean the neck of the bottle before dumping it into the cooler.

[Scott Townsend]

Yeah, at $12/month I would have bought it already. Its mine. The one we have at home has been in great shape for several years. In sunlight too. Though its usage is far more then the one I have here at the office.

Looks like I'm off to get the bleach and vinegar...

Thanks, Scott Do you own the dispenser, or are you renting it from a water delivery

[news]

I tell my customers to buy one of those new Clorox handi-wipes, that pop up one at a time. keep it close to the cooler and wipe down the neck of the bottle each time...

[Roger Shoaf]

Vinegar will do nothing, and you do not want to mix it with bleach.

Vinegar is used to de-lime, and to prevent bacteria from taking hold Pickle making) not to kill it off. The bacteria in your cooler may be able to survive vinegar but chlorine does all the buggies in.