There's a hierarchy

What makes you think that you can't drink US tap water? I've been drinking it my whole life. The area that I live in has very good tap water. The water department even sends me detailed reports periodically.

No so much lucky - I’m just a kid that grew up with a diagnosed anxiety disorder. Good thing about an anxiety disorder is that you identify risks before everyone else. It’s like a shitty super power.

I live in the cousin-fuckingly deep south, but prefer not to get more specific than that.

They are public drinking fountains. These aren't meant to be put in homes or private spaces.

America is absolutely filled with these things. They are everywhere. Public drinking access, no cups required, at an overwhelming number of public institutions. One of the extremely rare W's of American public use infrastructure.

On the few occasions I've been to Europe, I've honestly been quite frustrated at the lack of them. I can't just roll up to a place and have a quick drink, I'm apparently just expected to carry it with me on my person when I leave my place of stay. Even if there are public faucet taps available, I guess I'm expected to be carrying a drinking vessel already, or stick my face under the faucet and slurp awkwardly from the falling stream?

I'm just baffled public drinking fountains don't seem to be common elsewhere, to the point that there are several people in this thread questioning what they even are. I would consider them basic infrastructure for any civilized society.

They were disposable salt and pepper shakers. I know you think it saves money but you can bet some bean counter at corporate did the math to prove that wrong.

They still do exist. You can buy them at just about any store in the US.