Deoxygenating equipment and method of operation

A method of simultaneously deoxygenating and carbonating a supply of water, comprising the steps of receiving a flow of water from a source, metering the rate of flow of water, then injecting at a positive pressure a first flow of carbon dioxide gas into the metered, flowing water, thereafter introducing said flowing, carbonated water into a vessel, maintaining the pressure within the vessel and experienced by the metered, carbonated water at between about 14.7 and 4.9 pounds per square inch absolute, thereafter introducing a second flow of carbon dioxide gas into said vessel in counterflow to said water therein, removing excess carbon dioxide from said vessel at the upstream side of the vessel to maintain said pressure, introducing said excess carbon dioxide into the flowing water upstream from said vessel and thereafter cooling said flow to a 34.degree.-37.degree. F. temperature, so as to remove oxygen from the water and leave the cooled carbonated water discharged from said vessel with less than 1.0 dissolved volumes of carbon dioxide, and thereafter drawing off the deoxygenated, carbonated flow of water.