Commercial Restroom Reflections: How DropSpot is Meeting the Moment

Hydration is no longer an optional amenity in commercial environments—it’s an expectation tied to wellness, safety, sustainability, and long-term building performance. And as regulations evolve and facilities face a wide range of infrastructure and budget realities, product flexibility becomes even more essential. 

Sloan’s expanded DropSpot™ Bottle Filler and Water Cooler lineup responds to these needs by offering more configuration options designed to fit real-world applications. To provide deeper insight, we spoke with Adam Myers, Sloan’s Product Line Manager for Bottle Fillers, Hand Dryers, and Restroom Accessories, about the thinking behind the expansion and what it means for the future of commercial hydration.

What gaps in the market did Sloan aim to address with the expanded DropSpot Bottle Filler and Water Cooler lineup?

When we first introduced DropSpot on-wall bottle fillers at the end of 2024, our focus was on covering the most common applications in the market. That initial launch was designed to address about 80% of typical project needs, and it gave us a strong starting point in the bottle filler category.

As the products made their way into more projects, we gained valuable feedback from customers and continued our own market evaluation. That process revealed several niche applications where additional options were needed. This expansion represents the first major extension of the DropSpot platform since the original launch, and its purpose is to close those gaps.

By adding IoT connectivity, standalone water coolers, and unrefrigerated bottle fillers and water coolers, we are rounding out the DropSpot portfolio to better support a wider range of use cases. These additions allow DropSpot to serve projects with specific budget constraints, unique building conditions, or operational requirements that were not fully addressed before.

Sloan recently added water cooler-only DropSpot models. What types of facilities or project needs drove the decision to offer these more streamlined options?

Infrastructure limitations were one of the biggest drivers behind this decision. Many older buildings do not have readily available electrical access, or the cost of adding power can be prohibitive. In those situations, facilities still need a reliable way to provide safe, clean drinking water. Standalone water fountains and coolers help meet that need without requiring full bottle filler and water cooler combo units or extensive building updates.

Emergency preparedness was another important factor. Unrefrigerated standalone water fountains remain operational during power outages because they do not rely on electricity. This makes them especially valuable in emergency shelters, municipal buildings, and other facilities that need dependable access to water under all conditions.

For projects where chilled water is desired, refrigerated standalone water coolers offer a practical balance. They require less power than full bottle filler combo units, making them easier to install in buildings with limited electrical capacity while still providing cooling.

Smart connectivity is becoming increasingly important in commercial buildings. How does Sloan’s SC Argus^® Pro enhance the value of DropSpot bottle filler units for facility managers?

All DropSpot Bottle Filler and Water Cooler combo units are Internet of Things (IoT) enabled with SC Argus^® Pro, which adds a powerful layer of visibility and control for facility managers. SC Argus Pro provides real-time remote insight into bottle filler performance through a centralized dashboard that can cover an entire school campus or a multi-building portfolio.

Facility teams can monitor filter status, usage intensity, and overall system health without having to manually inspect each unit. This allows maintenance staff to prioritize high-traffic locations that require attention, rather than spending time on units that are performing normally.

The result is improved operational efficiency. By focusing labor where it is needed most, facilities can reduce maintenance costs and make better use of limited staff resources. SC Argus Pro also supports better filter management by helping ensure filters are replaced at the right time, maximizing usable life and reducing unnecessary consumable waste.

The DropSpot portfolio now includes more unrefrigerated configurations. How does this added flexibility help specifiers balance performance, cost, and application needs?

The unrefrigerated versions of the DRS110 and DRS120 bottle filler and water cooler combo units were developed to address two primary concerns we consistently heard from specifiers. The first is cost. By removing the chiller, these models offer a lower initial product investment, which is especially helpful for budget constrained projects.

The second is installation and operational simplicity. Unrefrigerated models require no electrical connection, which reduces installation complexity and opens the door to applications where power is limited or unavailable. These units are manually operated, so they continue to provide access to drinking water during power outages and emergency situations.

This added flexibility allows specifiers to better align product selection with actual application needs. In many cases, refrigeration or powered features are not necessary, and unrefrigerated configurations help avoid paying for infrastructure or functionality that will not be fully utilized.

Hydration-related legislation is evolving at the state level. Why was it important for Sloan to introduce a legislative resource alongside this product launch?

Hydration-related legislation is expanding rapidly across the country. What began with Michigan’s Filter First initiative has since spread to states such as Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland, with additional requirements emerging in Illinois, Washington, and Maine. These regulations may apply to new construction, renovation projects, or existing facilities, and they vary by location.

Because of this complexity, Sloan introduced a state regulations and compliance landing page alongside the DropSpot expansion. Customers often rely on Sloan not just for products but for guidance. The state regulations and compliance page helps educate specifiers and facility managers about current and pending state requirements so they can make more informed decisions.

By hosting this resource directly on the Sloan website, we are reinforcing our role as a trusted partner while helping facilities stay compliant as regulations continue to evolve.

Looking ahead, how does the DropSpot platform position Sloan to adapt as hydration expectations, wellness priorities, and smart building requirements continue to evolve?

DropSpot represents Sloan’s entry into a category that continues to change quickly. We are actively monitoring market trends, regulatory developments, and emerging health and wellness priorities, including increased attention to water quality and microplastics.

The platform is designed to adapt over time. With flexible configurations and smart connectivity through SC Argus Pro, DropSpot can scale alongside growing expectations for connected, data-driven buildings. Our focus is on ensuring these products meet or exceed future state and federal requirements, not just current standards.

Our goal is to continue strengthening the DropSpot platform in ways that anticipate change. By doing so, Sloan can remain a forward-looking, trusted resource while helping facilities deliver reliable, resilient, and well-designed hydration solutions for the long term.