By Krystal Pesch, Senior Director, Portfolio Management, Zurn Elkay
The Backlog Is Real
America’s schools are carrying billions in deferred maintenance. Aging HVAC systems, outdated infrastructure, and drinking fountains that have been on walls for decades.
Facilities teams know the list. What they do not always have is a realistic path to address it within a constrained budget, a lean crew, and a short construction window.
Upgrading old drinking fountains to modern filtered bottle filling stations has traditionally been one of those projects that sounds simple until it is not.
Once contractors start opening walls and working around legacy plumbing, the challenges stack up:
- wall modifications
- demolition work
- potential asbestos concerns
- extended timelines
- disruption to occupied spaces
Most facilities teams are not avoiding upgrades because they do not want filtered bottle filling stations. They are avoiding the disruption that often comes with installing them.
That is the problem Elkay set out to solve.
Introducing the EZ Retrofit Frame®
The EZ Retrofit Frame creates a simpler path from aging fountain to modern filtered bottle filling station without turning the project into a major renovation.
It was built specifically for the realities contractors and facilities teams deal with every day:
- tight schedules
- limited labor
- occupied buildings
- budgets with little room for surprises
Instead of creating a larger construction project, the EZ Retrofit Frame helps streamline installation while modernizing the appearance and functionality of existing drinking water areas.
The result:
- faster upgrades
- cleaner installations
- less disruption
- easier project planning
Exactly what facilities teams need during tight upgrade windows.
Why More Facilities Are Prioritizing Filtered Bottle Filling Stations
Water quality concerns in older buildings are creating new urgency around drinking water upgrades.
Facilities leaders who once delayed drinking fountain replacement are now fielding questions about filtered drinking water access and when upgrades are coming.
At the same time, budgets remain tight and labor remains limited. Organizations are looking for solutions that can realistically be completed without creating a major construction project.
Modern filtered bottle filling stations help facilities:
- provide access to cleaner, filtered drinking water
- reduce single-use plastic bottle waste
- modernize hallways and common spaces
- support sustainability initiatives
The EZ Retrofit Frame removes much of the installation complexity that kept these projects sitting on the backlog.
Easier to Install. Easier to Maintain.
At Elkay, we believe upgrading drinking water solutions should be easier at every stage:
- easier to specify
- easier to install
- easier to maintain
- easier to upgrade
Paired with Elkay Pro Filtration bottle filling stations, facilities teams also benefit from features designed to simplify long-term maintenance, including top-access filter changes and filter status monitoring.
Because the goal is not just faster installation.
It is creating filtered drinking water solutions facilities teams can realistically maintain long after installation day is over.
A Faster Path Forward
Whether you are planning summer upgrades, replacing aging drinking fountains, or retrofitting multiple buildings with filtered bottle filling stations, the EZ Retrofit Frame helps make modernization more achievable within real-world budgets and timelines.
Modern hydration should not require major renovation.
Now it does not.
Learn more about the EZ Retrofit Frame
