Did your grandparents ever tell you stories of the milkman, stories of him stopping by the house every day with a couple of bottles of milk and some butter and eggs? The milkman was a staple of the mid-20th century. He is now a relic of the past. But today we have something similar in fresh water delivery.

Like the milkmen of old, today's water delivery professionals drive from house-to-house, neighborhood-to-neighborhood delivering fresh, clean water unmatched by anything that comes out of the tap. The service is just like the old milkman deliveries, but for people who care deeply about the water they drink. Alive Water is thrilled to be part of it. Fresh water delivery is what we live for.

The Life of the Milkman

The milkman was a familiar and trusted community member way back when. In many neighborhoods, he was known by his first name. He was as iconic to the daily routine as the mailman and paperboy.

Milkmen would start their days long before the sun came up. They would collect fresh milk, butter, cream, and eggs from local dairies, then begin their routes. Each customer had a standing order. The milkmen would leave the new dairy products and take any empty glass bottles with them to be returned to the dairies.

In the early days, someone would meet the milkman at the door. But later, people began leaving insulated boxes on the front porch. The milkman could come and go even in the wee hours of the morning and there was no risk of spoilage. It all worked out quite well.

The Dawn of the Supermarket

The dawn of the American supermarket signaled the end of the milkman. Most milkmen had gone out of business by the early 1980s; a few managed to linger until the early 1990s. But now, home delivery of milk and other dairy products is virtually nonexistent. People can buy their dairy more cheaply at the supermarket.

Interestingly, the American supermarket also ushered in the era of bottled water. Bottled water has been available on supermarket shelves for decades. But water in plastic bottles is not as good as water can be. That's why we are starting to see more demand for fresh water delivery by companies like Alive Water.

The Convenience of Home Delivery

The foundation of fresh water delivery is the same foundation that supported milkmen in the 1950s: convenience. Dairy products are something the average family needs every day. Having to run to the dairy on a daily basis was inconvenient. Home delivery was much better for the customer. We feel the same way about fresh water.

Water is something we need daily. We cannot live without it. So for those of us who are not content to drink tap water, our water needs to come from somewhere. We feel like it's a lot more convenient to have spring water delivered to your door rather than running down to the grocery store or wholesale club.

Quality was also a big thing when milkmen ruled. Customers wanted the best dairy money could buy. To succeed, both dairies and milkmen had to deliver. In the 2020s, our customers are just as discriminating about the water they drink. They want clean, fresh spring water – not filtered water bottled from a commercial tap.

The days of America's milkmen are over. But there is a new day here, and it's all about fresh water delivery. If you're not content with tap water or filtered water in plastic bottles, it's time to switch to fresh water delivery in glass jugs from Alive Water.