A school that loses its water fountains to snapped spouts and blocked wastes ends up carrying crates of bottled water instead. This floorstanding stainless steel drinking fountain and bottle filling station puts both jobs in one 300mm square footprint: a WRAS-approved bubbler tap in the top basin for a quick drink between lessons, and a recessed WRAS-approved bottle filling faucet in the front face for refilling a sports bottle without queueing twice. It is specified for secondary schools, sixth forms and colleges, in satin finish stainless steel with rounded radius front corners.

Why it works

The recess is the important detail. Conventional combined units hang a swan-neck filling spout off the front of the cabinet, where it is the first thing to get leant on or levered sideways. Here the faucet sits inside a 125mm x 349mm alcove pressed into the front panel, so it is shielded on three sides and nothing stands proud to snap.

Satin finish stainless steel does the rest. It shrugs off scuffs, marker pen and routine cleaning chemicals, and the rounded radius front corners remove the sharp arris that gets dented in a busy corridor. Two separate waste pipes run internally from the top basin and the filling recess into a single 32mm waste outlet, so you plumb one drain rather than two. A lockable access panel on the left hand side keeps the valves away from pupils while leaving them accessible to your site team.

Where it is used

Secondary school corridors and dining halls, sixth form and college atria, primary and infant playgrounds at junior height, sports halls and changing block lobbies, leisure centres, local authority parks and civic buildings. It works indoors or outdoors, and it converts to a free-standing pedestal fountain by fitting a cover over the base access hole where there is no wall to sit it against.

Specifications

Choosing the right option

The only decision is height. The adult unit stands 900mm tall with the filling recess 440mm off the floor, which suits Year 7 upwards, staff and public sites, so it is the version for a secondary school, college, leisure centre or park. The junior unit stands 760mm with the recess at 300mm, sized so infant and primary pupils reach the bubbler without a step. Measure from the finished floor level you will actually have, not the bare slab, if resin or tiling is going down afterwards. On a mixed-age site with one fountain, fit the junior height and let older pupils stoop rather than the reverse. Both heights share the same 300 x 300mm footprint, waste size and tap set, so your pipework layout does not change.

Installation, use and care

This is a plumbed fixture, not a plug-in cooler. It needs a potable cold mains supply and a 32mm waste connection brought to the position before the unit is stood and fixed down. A Y-strainer or inline filter must be fitted in the incoming supply; leaving it out voids the warranty, because grit destroys the tap cartridges. There is no chiller inside, so water arrives at mains temperature. Wipe the steel along the direction of the grain and keep chlorine-based cleaners off it. Outdoor units must be isolated and drained before freezing weather.

Frequently asked questions

Does the water come out chilled?
No. There is no built-in chilling system, so it dispenses at incoming mains temperature. A remote chiller can be plumbed into the supply and is ordered separately.

Can it be installed outside?
Yes, indoor or outdoor use is fine. In an exposed position you must isolate the supply and drain the unit before the first frost, or trapped water can split pipework and valve bodies.

Do I really need a Y-strainer?
Yes. The manufacturer requires a Y-strainer or filter in the supply to protect the internal components and hold the correct flow. Fitting without one voids the warranty.

Can it stand away from a wall?
Yes. Fit a cover over the base access hole and it becomes a free-standing pedestal fountain, which is how it is usually specified for playgrounds and parks.

Are the taps approved for drinking water?
Both are. The bubbler and the recessed bottle filling faucet are WRAS approved, so they are accepted for connection to a UK potable mains supply.

Ordering and delivery

Choose adult or junior height above and add to basket. We confirm the delivery method and date for your postcode once the order is placed, so make sure there is access to the installation point and someone to receive the unit. Order a 32mm waste trap and a Y-strainer at the same time if your installer has not allowed for them. For several units across a site, contact us for project pricing.