Our Water

There are many reasons to choose our water over the alternatives. We’ve listed a few below.

Water Quality

Before our water gets to you, it passes a rigorous series of tests. Our water meets or exceeds the standards of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), and the Water Quality Association (WQA).

We use regionally sourced spring water, which has natural flavor and purity that most bottled water companies can't match. Not only is it filtered by natural processes, but again filtered and given ultraviolet treatment before it gets to you. Dasani, for example, uses purified municipal tap water with added minerals (including sodium) for taste. Our water has all the taste and more, naturally.

Water coming from filtered pitchers like the Brita are also likely of lower quality, as Brita recommends changing the filter after every 40 gallons of water. 40 gallons of water goes very quickly when shared with roommates, resulting in either unfiltered water or a big hassle. With our water you won’t have to worry about changing filters, and will have delicious, filtered water available all the time.

the problem with tap

In Vanderbilt residence halls, tap water is far from universally accessible. Save for a few privileged floors with filling stations, most of the student population must turn to aging hallway water fountains or kitchen sinks for their home water source. In the case of water fountains, most cannot fully fill a water container due to the positioning of water spouts. Sinks are notorious for their poor taste and questionable level of cleanliness.

Additionally, in the age of COVID-19, you can be sure that the water coming from your Hydrodore is free from the germs of others. Learn more here.

The HYDRODORE difference

Our spring water comes from underground wells, from which water flows to the earth's surface naturally. To qualify as spring water, it must be collected at the spring or through a borehole tapping the underground formation. Spring water comes from sources inspected and monitored by licensed geologists to ensure quality drinking water. Further, our jugs are made of polycarbonate, a strong and reusable plastic, meaning we aren't generating any plastic waste through our service. Note: Each Hydrodore jug contains 5 gallons of water.

Hard vs. Soft Water

Eighty-five percent of the United States has hard water, which means it has high mineral content. These minerals, along with other particulates or contaminants, can affect the color, taste or smell of untreated water. Unfortunately, off-taste or cloudy water is not unusual in home or workplace settings. At Vanderbilt, the water that is available to students falls within the category of "hard" to "very hard" (around 150-200 ppm). While this is drinkable, it's not always the most pleasant. Our water has far fewer particulates or contaminates, coming in at 6 ppm. This gives our water its pure, refreshing taste.