Growing up in Central Turkey, we didn't have tap water in our houses; there were village fountains (with spring water) where you'd get your drinking water from.

But, and this is really the great part of, these kind of fountains ("çeşme") were everywhere at road crossings or places some long dead person liked, etc. Most of the time, relatives would finance the building of such a fountain for the benefit of everybody if one of their loved ones died and had a somewhat preferred place (least of which could be just in front of their house).

And since you can't, as a traveler, be expected to always carry a cup with you, there would always be a metal cup attached to a (thick) chain (built into the concrete) there. You'd then get there, take the metal cup, drink the cool spring water, thank the people who built it and, if you were someone of faith, pray for the soul of the deceased person (whose name would be inscribed on the concrete wall) and continue your journey.

And the basin in front, where the water is collected? Well, you see, humans aren't the only thirsty beings ... livestock, wild animals, birds - water is life for everybody!

I really loved this tradition: you never needed to carry water with you throughout Central Anatolia when traveling - there would always be a "çeşme" somewhere on your path...

And since then, cold water, for me, tastes only good from a metal container...