Lol to “same as a hose”! OMG.
YES. As someone who was designed plumbing systems, I can vouch with certainty that the POTABLE water fed to your bathroom sink, kitchen sink, toilet (in most places unless local code allows greywater to be used), water fountain, hoses IS ALL FROM EXACTLY THE SAME PLACE.
I have been drinking from water fountains and hoses my whole life and have never contracted a water borne disease.
Most places wipe their fountains down with disinfectant on a regular basis. Even if the fountain or hose mouth is dirty, I think the chances of contracting a disease from drinking from them is very small. Shit man, people are so ridiculously paranoid about germs in this country – it totally disgusts me.
Some places choose to chlorinate the water at drinking fountains – you can taste the difference. Others may choose to charcoal filter it first. If the water is clean to begin with, there really is no need to do either – again, at least in Hawaii where 99% of potable water is groundwater, it is paranoia and germophobia that causes people to take such excessively stupid measures.
Technically the term “drinking fountain” corresponds to a fountain that feeds unrefrigerated water, I believe. The term “electric water cooler” indicates one that chills the water.