I’ve seen a variety of water purchases on campus ranging from bottled water, filtered water and water coolers, sometimes in the same building. What is SMU’s policy on water purchases and is there a way to streamline our spending in this area?
Individual bottles of water should be purchased using University funds only for guests. If individual bottles of water are purchased for guests, there are two guidelines: 1) per the University’s contract with Coca-Cola, the water must be Dasani or Smart Water brands and 2) the water must be purchased through an authorized source. Please contact Cathy Heckman (checkman@smu.edu) for sourcing assistance.
Departments make their own arrangements for providing drinking water, including in-line plumbed machines and stand-alone coolers, depending on their needs. Any department that is interested in participating in a campus-wide effort to receive quality, filtered water at a reduced cost should contact Cathy Heckman at checkman@smu.edu.
If you have ideas about how the University can generate additional cost savings, please send them to the Office of Operational Excellence via our online comment form. Comments and questions can be submitted completely anonymously and all submissions that include contact information are sent quick responses.
