Waco completes Tokyo trial of smart public water refill station

Waco Corp, a manufacturer of water purifiers and water treatment systems headquartered in South Korea, has completed a proof of concept for its redesigned Atlas smart public water refill station in Tokyo, Japan.

The company has changed the exterior of Atlas, creating a “futuristic” look designed to harmonize with public spaces. The new exterior is said to improve the product’s visual quality while showcasing the reliability and stability expected of equipment installed in public spaces.

The reconceptualized Atlas units were installed at two supermarkets in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The pilot stations were deployed in commercial facilities, enabling local consumers to interact with the product and generate feedback based on real-world usage.

“Through on-site interviews and surveys, Atlas received exceptional ratings across key metrics, including product design, water taste, temperature, and reliability of purification performance. The high level of consumer trust in its purification capabilities, combined with positive feedback on the actual drinking experience, confirmed the strong market applicability of Atlas as a public water system,” says Waco Corp.

Multi-stage purification

The redesign transformed Atlas from a purely functional water dispenser toward a user-centered smart public water station.

Atlas allows water refilling using personal bottles and reusable containers. It also supports IoT-based product status monitoring, digital signage for information delivery, and smart maintenance features optimized for public facility operators.

Earlier this year, a study found that the water dispensed at US vending machines, also referred to as kiosks, may contain pollutants and pose unchecked public health risks.

Atlas aims to deliver safe drinking water by adopting UV LED technology for comprehensive hygiene control, along with tumbler washing and sterilization functions. The water station is also able to provide water at different temperatures, including ambient and cold, utilizing a multi-stage purification system. 

Earlier this year, UN research found that around two-thirds of the countries in the Global South face overlapping socioeconomic and water security challenges. Responding to the situation, some countries have turned to refill stations to improve access to clean water. Last year, environmental NGO Sungai Watch called for more investment in public refill stations for safe drinking water in Bali, Indonesia. 

Meanwhile, Manzi Water, a South African beverage company, teamed up with tech start-up Sonke Retail to launch the country’s first fully automated refill store. The collaboration aimed to transform how underserved communities access clean drinking water and other essential goods.