"Martin Underwood" wrote
Is that motivated purely by H&S considerations or (being cynical) could it
be that bottled water can be charged for (and therefore someone can make a
profit out of those sales) whereas a water fountain cannot easily be made
profitable?

As a side thought, I think I am right in saying that in restaurants in
France, a bottle of water has to be paid for, but if you ask for a jugful
they are prohibited by law from charging.