<P> Use of the words water fountain and drinking fountain vary across regional dialects of English . </P> <P> In mid-19th century London, water provision from private water companies was generally inadequate for the rapidly growing population and was often contaminated . Legislation in the mid nineteenth century formed the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers, made water filtration compulsory, and moved water intakes on the Thames above the sewage outlets . In this context, the public drinking fountain movement began . It built the first public baths and public drinking fountains . </P> <P> In London, the Metropolitan Free Drinking Fountain Association was established in 1859 . The first fountain was built on Holborn Hill on the railings of the church of St Sepulchre - without - Newgate on Snow Hill, paid for by Samuel Gurney, and opened on 21 April 1859 . The fountain became immediately popular, used by 7,000 people a day . In the next six years 85 fountains were built, with much of the funding coming directly from the association . The movement soon became associated with the temperance movement as they provided a substitute for alcohol and were purposely positioned outside public houses . </P> <P> In the United States, drinking fountains were built beginning in 1889 by the then - small Kohler Water Works (now Kohler Company) in Kohler, Wisconsin, a company already established as a faucet producer . The original' Bubbler' shot water one inch straight into the air, creating a bubbling texture, and the excess water ran back down over the sides of the nozzle . Several years later the Bubbler adopted the more sanitary arc projection, which also allowed the user to drink more easily from it . At the start of the 20th century, it was discovered that the original vertical design was related to the spread of many contagious diseases . </P>

Where does the water fountain water come from