[alistairSH]

What countries do have them?

In the US, they seem to exist in offices and schools. Airports tend to have them, and often with a bottle filler on the side, which is great since we can't carry water through security.

But, just walking down the street, truly public water? Is that a thing anywhere in the US, or elsewhere?

[bombcar]

As others have mentioned, they're very common (in the US) in parks and libraries, but there are also some that are "just there" on the side of the street as part of the sidewalk or path (sure, often near a park but not always).

More and more the newer ones are also "dog watering stations" which is basically a foot-operated drinking fountain with a slow-drain bowl (or just a concrete bowl with no drain).

Even parks that don't have restrooms will often have a fountain.

[embedded_hiker]

Portland Oregon has the "Benson Bubblers": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benson_Bubbler

[alistairSH]

Neat. That's really what I was asking about. Parks near me usually have a fountain, but only if the park is large enough to have a bathroom with plumbing (as opposed to no bathroom for single ball fields and playgrounds, or a pit toilet for more remote parks). What I don't see often is a truly public drinking fountain that's out in plain view.

[kube-system]

It is not uncommon for public parks to have them in the US

[progman32]

Maybe not at every intersection, but almost all parks around me have at least one. At least that's my experience in California and Washington State.

[mrWiz]

They're also common in airports, malls, parks, and libraries. I can't think of any other spaces that typically have them.

[solardev]

Just to throw a few more out there: Hospitals, gyms, walkable food courts/outdoor pedestrian malls, college campuses, stadiums, visitor centers, rail stations, offices, cafeterias, parking garages, movie theaters, car dealers, warehouse stores, some grocery stores... where I live, basically every public space where people are expected to loiter will often have one, usually right by the bathrooms.

[Balgair]

Wait, what US cities are you in that do not have public fountains in parks and whatnot?

I'm struggling to think of any parks or high pedestrian areas around me that don't have a public fountain, nor in any of the cities I've lived in. Like, yeah, you're not going to have a fountain out in the middle of a parking lot. But they, to my recollection, seem to be everywhere that people tend to be walking a lot.

As for Europe, they also tend to be in a lot of high pedestrian areas, but really only in southern Europe (Italy, Spain, etc). In northern Europe it seems that everyone is just fine with being constantly dehydrated.

[alistairSH]

DC Metro, specifically Reston.

The park across the street doesn't have one. There are none in the town center (gotta buy Starbucks or similar).

And I don't recall seeing any public ones in downtown DC, other than the Mall and Smithsonian areas.

I already stated they do exist in quasi-public spaces (airports, offices, etc).

Like, if I'm running errands downtown, and I'm not in the tourist zone, there really isn't much without ducking into an office (that might be locked on the weekend).

[Balgair]

Hmm, DC is a bit strange about that then. I see them all the time in the more walkable areas of CA, CO, PA, NC, FL, TX, HI, TN.

Maybe a state level law thing then.

[maxerickson]

They are common in parks and recreational facilities in the US.