The American Water Works Assn. (AWWA) announced that the city of Bloomington, Minn., has won the 12th annual “Best of the Best” Tap Water Taste Test. Sponsored by Avista Technologies Inc. and composed of regional winners from water-tasting competitions across North America, the event was held at AWWA’s Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE16) in Chicago, Ill.
The city of Iola, Kan., was awarded second place and the village of Canajoharie, N.Y., was awarded third place. The People’s Choice award winner, as determined by the conference attendees, was awarded to City Corporation, Russellville, Ark.
The City of Bloomington Utilities employs more than 50 people to run the water treatment plant, do field maintenance, serve customers and administer the area. The division processes clear clean water at the water treatment plant and distributes it to the city’s more than 85,000 residents, while also processing the city’s wastewater.
Other “Best of the Best” participants in the competition included: Anniston Water and Sewer Board, Anniston, Ala.; Augusta Utilities, Augusta, Ga.; Capital Region Water, Harrisburg, Pa.; Chesapeake, Va.; Hamilton, Ohio; Manistique, Mich.; Moline, Ill.; St. John's, NL; St. Louis; Tallahassee, Fla.; Winnipeg, MB; Duck River Utility Commission, Tullahoma, Tenn.; Georgetown County Water & Sewer District, Pawley’s Island, S.C.; Keokuk, Iowa; Neuse Regional Water & Sewer Authority, LaGrange, N.C.; SUEZ Boise Operations, Boise, Idaho; Castle Rock, Colo.; Trinity River Authority of Texas, Euless, Texas; and Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
A judging panel rated each water system on its flavor characteristics. Judges included Monique Durand, engineer with Hazen and Sawyer P.C., Cliff Shrive, senior principal with Stantec Consulting, and Dave Walker, co-founder and CEO of Avista Technologies, Inc.
Previous competition winners are Big Sky, Mont. (2015), Boston Water and Sewer Commission (2014), Oklahoma City Water and Wastewater Utility (2007 and 2013), Fremont, Neb. (2012), Greenville, S.C. (2011), Stevens Point, Wis. (2010), Macon Water Authority, Ga. (2009), Louisville Water Company, Ky. (2008) and Ill. American Water, Champaign District (2006 and 2005).
ACE16, which brought an estimated 12,000 water experts to Chicago, featured several hundred presentations and an exposition of more than 500 companies.
Source: American Water Works Assn.
