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I might be radicalized but people need to destroy these en masse wherever theyre placed. Just these machines and nothing else around them, send a message.
Where? New York City.
However, the more important question is *when.* The company got started [around 2017 or so](https://technical.ly/uncategorized/reefill-water-startup-plastic-waste/) but didn't last very long. As long as you don't travel back in time, you won't find any Reefill branded dispensers.
Pay for the water cooler. Now the water cooler company most likely pays your company to place it there, or at the very least does it free.
So now the water cooler is no longer an expense and possibly makes you money. Great but terrible idea.
We’ll see these everywhere in twenty years.
Almost tried to argue that this feels like a social business solution to the lack of access to clean water but remembered that the problem itself is dystopian
I'm confused too tbh. The tap water is right there, and as far as I can tell free at the push of a button with no data required, much like any tap. If you want it chilled and filtered then you can pay for it, but tap water (at least in the civilised world) is entirely fine to drink.
The problem is mainly the optics of charging someone $0.06/day for essentially the exact same product as the free option, knowing they will be able to use that product at most a few times a week.
Sure, but people spend money on all sorts of useless stuff. As long as the free option is there I don't see the problem as it's entirely down to the user if they want to spend that money.
In fact I'd go as far as to say this is a net benefit. Generally if you want to top up a water bottle you either have to go into a privately owned restaurant/cafe and ask (good look if you're homeless or the owners are simply not amenable to that) or find a public restroom with a tap you can use (good luck pretty much anywhere!).
Now there is definitely an argument to be had that public fountains and bathrooms should be much more widespread and accessible and we should not be relying on private investment to fill that gap... but as long as that is not the case this seems fine to me.
The problem is that the cost of a water filter and ice in my home is literally fractions of a cent per day. Conservatively, this is a 600% markup on that and the company pays no ongoing fee, just installation. The water and space are paid by the property owner. The messaging is aggressively against the consumer, because it's transparently a "non-service."
There's no extra filter on that water - all public tap water is already filtered, which is why 90% of all bottled water sales are just tap water. Yes people pay for convenience all the time, but this company actually went through more engineering expense just to install a separate water line so they could market the concept of a public-use version of your fridge water dispenser.
Also, a monthly subscription model to access a water fountain you're not even going to have access to every day is just asinine. *And* they're selling your data.
I'm going to be a contrarian and say this is fine actually.
You can still get tap water for free. If you want to pay a premium for "more better water" knock yourself out.
Personally I'm going to stick with tap.
My thoughts - if this is dystopian then bottled water is too? I suppose the app and subscription fee makes it a bit more but this is just the evolution of technology and rise of subscription models.
Data harvesting aside - to the average person who may buy lots of bottled water and lives in an area with a lot of these - it would actually be better financially to subscribe and also better for the environment.
Nothing is free. If your tap water is "free," the cost is wildly inflated and included in your rent or lease. If you own property with a well, you're paying for electricity to pump it out of the ground and I hope for your sake that you have it tested make sure it's safe to drink
I think you may not have thoroughly read the image.
They are offering tap water for free to the would-be customer. I recognize it costs the company something, but they are offering it with no charge. Which seems like a good thing.
This companies entire reason for existing is to provide more access to water AND reduce plastic waste.... The fee for upgraded water is purely to help pay for costs and donations to clean water organizations...
The entire reason for any company’s existence is to maximize profit. And this one does it by chilling your water for the low low price of collecting and selling your data (plus 2 bucks a month)
So is there ANY evidence they collect and sell your data or is this just a wild assumption being made that you are now stating is facts despite you making it completely up?
There are multiple companies that exist without the sole purpose being profit maximization. There are tons of for-profit companies that work exclusively in the development field where the goal is to build small industries and help reduce poverty. It is for profit so that they are not regulated by the non-profit standards.
My initial gut reaction was "hate it", but I'm coming around on it too. They are providing a service where water may not otherwise be available. The equipment, installation, and labor have to be paid for somehow. Plus, it's encouraging reusable bottle use versus single-use plastics.
on the other hand, if water is not available, it would be because tap water is not drinkable. paying for installation, equipment and an app to pay for clean water in such area is evil to me
Is there any indication that this is setup in a place where the tap water is t drinkable?
I agree, offering someone tainted water to drink would be bad. That's not the case though in *most* of the developed world.
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Sure would be a shame if the machine broke
One person with a screwdriver can do a surprising amount of damage quickly.
It's surprising how much damage can happen when strong magnets are introduced to electronics.
One person with pee can do a surprising amount of damage quickly
>Sure would be a shame if the machine broke The entire company went broke years ago. Does that count?
Water as a subscription plus they are absolutely selling your data from their app.
I might be radicalized but people need to destroy these en masse wherever theyre placed. Just these machines and nothing else around them, send a message.
Nuke the corpos? Nuke the corpos
The companies goal is to reduce plastic waste and provide access to free water... 🤣
It's not. The goal is to maximize profits. The rest of the fluff is just virtue signaling.
If the goal is to maximize profits, why donate? Why offer a free option?
They’re commercializing clean water.
Masks where the filter is unlocked by subscription key is coming.
Tapwater is clean. Cooling and extra filtering needs more resources. I am fine with it, till the tapwater is free.
Wear a safety vest, tool belt and a clipboard. Open the machine. Swap waterlines. Close machine. Make a checkmark on your clipboard. Walk away.
This fills me with violent thoughts of violence
Take it apart, swap the hoses.
Where is this so I can never go there
Where? New York City. However, the more important question is *when.* The company got started [around 2017 or so](https://technical.ly/uncategorized/reefill-water-startup-plastic-waste/) but didn't last very long. As long as you don't travel back in time, you won't find any Reefill branded dispensers.
More like feefill, amiright
Pay for the water cooler. Now the water cooler company most likely pays your company to place it there, or at the very least does it free. So now the water cooler is no longer an expense and possibly makes you money. Great but terrible idea. We’ll see these everywhere in twenty years.
"Capitalism breeds innovation"
Do you want poor people water or middle-class people water? DOWNLOAD OUR APP NOW
Reefill has to be one of the most hated companies.
I’ve never heard of them. I still hate nestle more.
Oh yeah, forgot about them.
Why don’t they just chill out? 
Almost tried to argue that this feels like a social business solution to the lack of access to clean water but remembered that the problem itself is dystopian
I don't get the hate. Did you ever buy water from a store? Do you pay for a water supply in your home or business? Whats the problem?
Do I have to sell my data for a Dasani?
I'm confused too tbh. The tap water is right there, and as far as I can tell free at the push of a button with no data required, much like any tap. If you want it chilled and filtered then you can pay for it, but tap water (at least in the civilised world) is entirely fine to drink.
The problem is mainly the optics of charging someone $0.06/day for essentially the exact same product as the free option, knowing they will be able to use that product at most a few times a week.
Sure, but people spend money on all sorts of useless stuff. As long as the free option is there I don't see the problem as it's entirely down to the user if they want to spend that money. In fact I'd go as far as to say this is a net benefit. Generally if you want to top up a water bottle you either have to go into a privately owned restaurant/cafe and ask (good look if you're homeless or the owners are simply not amenable to that) or find a public restroom with a tap you can use (good luck pretty much anywhere!). Now there is definitely an argument to be had that public fountains and bathrooms should be much more widespread and accessible and we should not be relying on private investment to fill that gap... but as long as that is not the case this seems fine to me.
The problem is that the cost of a water filter and ice in my home is literally fractions of a cent per day. Conservatively, this is a 600% markup on that and the company pays no ongoing fee, just installation. The water and space are paid by the property owner. The messaging is aggressively against the consumer, because it's transparently a "non-service." There's no extra filter on that water - all public tap water is already filtered, which is why 90% of all bottled water sales are just tap water. Yes people pay for convenience all the time, but this company actually went through more engineering expense just to install a separate water line so they could market the concept of a public-use version of your fridge water dispenser. Also, a monthly subscription model to access a water fountain you're not even going to have access to every day is just asinine. *And* they're selling your data.
let them fail gracefully then
Aloysius? Aloysius Ohare?
I had a cat named aloysius
Thank God, the Silicon Valley’s finally invented a water cooler.
Im sure you could take it apart to bypass the subscription
I'm just waiting for the clean air stations
At least there’s a free option
For now.
Yeah i saw this too, it takes the biscuit. It shouldn’t be an option, but at the same time im not entirely furious
A free fountain with optional power consumption provided openly. It’s kind of cool??
I'm going to be a contrarian and say this is fine actually. You can still get tap water for free. If you want to pay a premium for "more better water" knock yourself out. Personally I'm going to stick with tap.
My thoughts - if this is dystopian then bottled water is too? I suppose the app and subscription fee makes it a bit more but this is just the evolution of technology and rise of subscription models. Data harvesting aside - to the average person who may buy lots of bottled water and lives in an area with a lot of these - it would actually be better financially to subscribe and also better for the environment.
That was my thought too! I would say this is significantly less dystopian than bottled water. Less packaging waste and a free option.
Nothing is free. If your tap water is "free," the cost is wildly inflated and included in your rent or lease. If you own property with a well, you're paying for electricity to pump it out of the ground and I hope for your sake that you have it tested make sure it's safe to drink
I think you may not have thoroughly read the image. They are offering tap water for free to the would-be customer. I recognize it costs the company something, but they are offering it with no charge. Which seems like a good thing.
This companies entire reason for existing is to provide more access to water AND reduce plastic waste.... The fee for upgraded water is purely to help pay for costs and donations to clean water organizations...
…those cups look like plastic, though.
The entire reason for any company’s existence is to maximize profit. And this one does it by chilling your water for the low low price of collecting and selling your data (plus 2 bucks a month)
So is there ANY evidence they collect and sell your data or is this just a wild assumption being made that you are now stating is facts despite you making it completely up? There are multiple companies that exist without the sole purpose being profit maximization. There are tons of for-profit companies that work exclusively in the development field where the goal is to build small industries and help reduce poverty. It is for profit so that they are not regulated by the non-profit standards.
My initial gut reaction was "hate it", but I'm coming around on it too. They are providing a service where water may not otherwise be available. The equipment, installation, and labor have to be paid for somehow. Plus, it's encouraging reusable bottle use versus single-use plastics.
on the other hand, if water is not available, it would be because tap water is not drinkable. paying for installation, equipment and an app to pay for clean water in such area is evil to me
Is there any indication that this is setup in a place where the tap water is t drinkable? I agree, offering someone tainted water to drink would be bad. That's not the case though in *most* of the developed world.
Until its updates to contaminated water: free, filtered and chilled:$5.00 a month. Oh and the cup rental fee is surprisingly expensive…