They do. One of the reasons the bottling companies were decentralized was because consumers preferred the taste of their local water. Fountain machines have a

They do. One of the reasons the bottling companies were decentralized was because consumers preferred the taste of their local water. Fountain machines have a sophisticated filtration system that is supposed to completely standardize the taste of the product. The company that supplies these filters also work with Starbucks for the same reason. BUT, often the owners do not change the filters regularly, which leads to an inconsistent / negative taste.