Melbourne Water’s Cresswell water treatment plant in Healesville will have bragging rights for the next 12 months as the provider of Australia’s best drop.
The team will now go on to represent Australia at the annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition in West Virginia, USA in February 2023.
Australia’s best tasting tap water was decided on Saturday 12 November when the Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA) hosted the Ixom 2022 Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia competition.
Water authorities from various regional and metropolitan areas across Australia firstly competed in state competitions and the state winners went on to the national title during the Primex Field Days in Casino, NSW, putting interstate rivalry to the ultimate test.
The state representatives were:
NSW/ACT – Bamarang water treatment plant – Shoalhaven Water
Queensland – Nebo Road water treatment plant – Mackay Regional Council
South Australia – Murray Bridge water treatment plant – TRILITY
Tasmania – Fern Tree water treatment plant – TasWater
Western Australia – Wyndham water treatment plant – Water Corporation
Victoria – Cresswell water treatment plant – Melbourne Water
Attendees at the Primex Field Days were asked to taste all the water samples and vote for the one they prefer most.
Last year’s national winner was from Richmond Valley Council and its Casino Water Treatment Plant, which is why the 2022 event is being held in their area.
The annual Ixom Best Tasting Tap Water competition is a fun and exciting way to raise awareness of the quality of drinking water in Australia, and to recognise the efforts of local water service providers in delivering valuable water services to their communities.
Water samples are subjected to a blind taste test and rated according to the Water Tasting Wheel, which outlines some of the attributes that water professionals use when judging water such as colour, clarity, odour and taste. Think ‘wine tasting’ without needing to spit out the samples and you won’t be far wrong.
In WIOA’s search for the best tap water in each state and nationally, the organisation invited all water suppliers to participate in the competition.
“The competition recognises and acknowledges the individuals and organisations that are stepping up, some in very trying circumstances, to make sure their communities are supplied with safe drinking water every day,” said George Wall, WIOA Managing Director.
“We want to use the competition to let people know the great work that is going on in local communities around Australia, and help to shape and secure Australia’s water future,” said Mr Wall.
“WIOA would also like to acknowledge Ixom’s support of the Best Tasting Tap Water competition. We have been able to run the competition through these uncertain times because of their unwavering commitment and support to the industry,” said Mr Wall.
“Ixom is proud to be the sponsor of the prestigious 2022 Ixom Best Tasting Tap Water competition,” said David Head, Ixom Managing Director & CEO. “Ixom has been involved in water treatment for almost a century. We supply water treatment chemicals to water treatment plants all over Australia to help ensure that Australia continues to have world-renowned, high-quality water.”
