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What's the story with the public water dispensers you see alongside the street in neighborhoods, where workers fill up their water bottles? Someone told me that this is a form of charity by the homeowner and that there is a particular Arabic word for these dispensers. This may explain why these are more common in the older neighborhoods and less so in the expat areas.

I found my answer -- they are called sanaabir myaa’ al-sharb:

"There is a long tradition in Islam of providing benefit to others. Indeed it is a tenet of Islam that consideration should be given to the others in the community, as well as for the benefit of the whole community. Not only is the dispersing of funds to those who are disadvantaged one of the five requirements of Islam – zakaat – but it is notable that drinking fountains – sanaabir myaa’ al-sharb , masaajid, and madaaris have all been built with private funds or from awqaf endowment." http://www.catnaps.org/islamic/islaurb4.html

It certainly is appreciated by us runners!