Have you ever seen a public drinking fountain?

[Lliam]

They used to be all over parks, schools, in public buildings and stores.
Then bottling companies realized that people would buy water in plastic bottles for more than the cost of a soft drink.

[lightbulb27]

yes in Europe... spain, portugal, Germany

In nyc airport, they have "free" fillup spots... they favor reducing the plastic.

but otherwise, not so much.

exactly. I avoid buying such stuff, only if have to. we use tap water even at restaurants... as long as is decent. we don't buy soft drinks.. rarely.

americans especially, are trained to be stupid.

We really need to get out the "paddles" again and beat people... because they discard such trash on the roads. I for one, go and pickup the stuff and recycle it. guess what I find... quite a few of those bottles are not being fully consumed.

It's all part of the devaluation of our currency... masked by inflation and govt borrowing that distorts behavior. If not for that, we'd be poorer, and probably more conservative with our behavior. As such, that is not what govt or "business" wants... they want profits supported by a failing currency. So waste... in all forms, is essential to keep it going... whether it be your appliances that fail (planned obsolescence), or soon to be... the polluted air you breathe. It's all fair game...

Sadly, we are also very poor at recycling and composting... we should be sorting all to compost/rebuild the soil.

how to train people when there is no support system, no parents and no discipline? hard enough to train our own kids in the face of societies bad behaviors.

[Lliam]

So true.

[Darkest-Knight]

Haven't seen a drinking fountain in years.

[Flower7]

Yes, they are in lots of places. Though many of them have signs saying they’re not in use because of COVID.

[Lliam]

Covid from a drinking fountain. LOL A good excuse to control the population

[Soteris]

I have been to Rome, yes. Also, I think what you have a problem with is USA's developing water shortage and not capitalism in this case. Needless to say, USA is going to have a bad time going forward especially since you dont appear to be doing much to help the situation either.

[Lliam]

Water shortage? What are you talking about?

[Soteris]

40 out of the 50 states in USA will experience water shortage in the next 10 years. Also your rivers and lakes are suffering quite badly from over exploitation.

[Anonymous]

I haven't seen one for a long time.

We had them in the primary school that i went to, I might have seen them somewhere else but I can't think where.

[Lliam]

Yeah. I can't say that I've seen one for a long time. They used to be everywhere.

[musicbrain5]

We have them in parks, malls, schools, etc here. Most of the indoor ones are a newer style where you can also fill up a bottle.

Water is not a commodity, no matter how much asshole companies like Nestle want you to think it is.

[19magic]

There's often an outdoor tap to which you can refill a bottle in parks and most tourist destinations have refil stations, work and school places all have them. And you can always just get tap water anywhere if needed.

[Anonymous]

Now that you mention it, I don't think I've seen one in a long time. But back in the day, they were adjusted to either squirt 1/4 inch or 18 inches. Nothing in between was acceptable.

[Lliam]

Either you had to put your lips on them or they blasted you in the face. LOL

[exitseven]

Yes, where I go on vacation there is one on the street as soon as you get off the ferry. They shut it off in the winter so it does not freeze. There are none around here. Junkies would probably steal them for the scrap metal.

[Anonymous]

They have made a comeback in parts of Australia. They have even designed ones so people can fill up their water bottles

[Lliam]

Cool!

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

They are still common back in Tbilisi, Georgia.

In China though, only bottle water is drinkable.

[TrueConfection]

I still see them. I will also buy a $5 bottle of water before I will drink whatever city water comes out of one of those hepatitis infested, urinal impersonating, water fountains/bubblers. 🤢

Sorry, I meant that in the nicest way. 😇

[Lliam]

Because people died in droves from drinking water before it was for sale in bottles?

[TrueConfection]

No, they didn't.

[TrueConfection]

However...
Aside from the gross-me-out factor, the chemicals in tap water are known carcinogens. I use a heavy duty filtration system at home too.

[Lliam]

I hear you. There may be more pollution in tap water these days in a lot of areas. It's true.

Plastic bottles leech BPA and phthalates into their contents, though. And the plastic is tremendously damaging to the environment.

So we're damned if we do and damned if we don't.

It really is a blessing to have my own well.

[TrueConfection]

Yes! Having your own well can be a blessing (depending on runoff). We used to have a well, but now we have city water.

[NalleBabyBoysss]

Yeah we have one that's over a 100 years old in town square

[Sevenpointfive]

I've had a few children mistakin my fountain for a fresh wisp of stream.

[Sparkie460]

I haven't seen one in a long time

[Lliam]

I know. Me either.

[SnowedIn]

We still have them in Washington DC.

[helva]

Sure

[Jamie05rhs]

Wow. I can't believe this is an actual question.