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Comment by ForHackernews | Hacker News Reader

Have you considered increasing revenue by price-discriminating with different levels of water?

For example, the "Platinum Premium ($29.99/mo)" water would be cold, filtered, and free of pathogens, the "Plus Preferred ($14.99/mo)" would be room temperature tap water, and "Tap Basics ($4.99)" would include a small dose of giardia.

You could pay local independent contractors a small fee to restock your kiosks with the protozoans, so then you wouldn't have to carry the labour overhead.

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As for the price of water, it trades like a commodity just like oil. Water already has a price per oz that differs around the world. If you’re privileged enough to have tap water, you have the best least expensive water access on the planet. Over 1 billion people around the world aren’t so lucky. Check your snark at the door, please.

> Currently, the Tap Refill Station connects to an existing water supply line

Are you increasing access to clean drinking water, or are you profiteers freeloading on the back of public infrastructure? Consider that you are making the world worse, not better, please.

The last time I had to go through Union Station in DC, I tried to get water and it tasted like it had come from a pool. An unusually chlorinated pool. I almost threw up.

I also don't have reliably potable tap water where I live now.

If they're doing the filtration that the public infrastructure isn't, I'd hardly call that freeloading.

The last time I had to go through Union Station in DC, I tried to get water and it tasted like it had come from a pool. An unusually chlorinated pool. I almost threw up.

If regularly tested, heavily regulated water makes you throw up, you should see a doctor. Perhaps a specialist.

Chlorination cycles are part of the regulation. You're supposed to leave pitchers of water out overnight to evaporate the chlorine. But some fast food places hook their water supply straight to the tap.

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