Fremont, Neb. Wins 'Best Of The Best' Water Taste Test
Water Provider Secures Top Honor at American Water Works Association’s Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE12)
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) announced recently that the Fremont Department of Utilities of Fremont, Neb. has won the annual “Best of the Best” Water Taste Test. The event, composed of regional winners from water-tasting competitions across North America, was held at AWWA’s Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE12) in Dallas, Texas.
The city of Fremont, Neb. receives its water from nine groundwater wells in the High Plains Alluvial Aquifer, with an average well depth of 90 feet. The utility pumps five million gallons per day through 160 miles of water main to serve 28,000 people. They are very pleased and grateful to receive this award. Second place in the competition was awarded to Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District of Herriman, Utah and third place was awarded to Arcadia Water of Arcadia, Wis.
Other “Best of the Best” participants in today’s competition included: Aurora Water, Aurora, Colo.; City of Baltimore, MD; City of Bend, Ore.; City of Niles Utilities Department, Niles, Mich.; City of Rochester Water Bureau, Rochester, N.Y.; City of St. Cloud, Minn.; City of Wyoming Public Water System, Wyoming, Ohio; Collier County Water Department, Naples, Fla.; Garzas Water Treatment Plant, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico; Greenwood Commissioners of Public Works, Greenwood, S.C.; Hardin County Water District No. 2, Elizabethtown, Ky.; Leeds Water Works Board , Leeds, Ala.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Rosehill Drinking Water System, Fort Erie, Ontario; Sioux Falls Water, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Upper Trinity Regional Water District, Lewisville, Texas; Village of Park Forest, Ill.; and Water District No. 1 of Johnson County, Lenexa, Kan.
An esteemed judging panel rated each water system on its flavor characteristics. Judges included Dr. Russell Ford of CH2M Hill, who is also vice chair of AWWA’s Taste and Odor Committee; Alan E. Davis of Alan Plummer Associates, Inc. and member of the Taste and Odor committee; Ari Copeland, who is a water engineer for AWWA; and Clarice Tinsley who is a news anchor for KDFW Fox 4 News in Dallas.
This is the eighth year AWWA has held the national competition. Previous winners are Greenville, SC (2011), Stevens Point, Wis. (2010), Macon (GA) Water Authority (2009), the Louisville (KY) Water Company (2008), Oklahoma City Water and Wastewater Utility (2007) and Illinois American Water, Champaign District (2006 and 2005).
ACE12 offers water professionals a chance to network and stay abreast of innovative technology and best practices for providing safe water. To facilitate professional development, AWWA offers eight indepth workshops and 100 professional sessions.
About AWWA
AWWA is the authoritative resource for knowledge, information, and advocacy to improve the quality and supply of water in North America and beyond. AWWA is the largest organization of water professionals in the world. AWWA advances public health, safety and welfare by uniting the efforts of the full spectrum of the entire water community. Through our collective strength we become better stewards of water for the greatest good of the people and the environment.
SOURCE: The American Water Works Association (AWWA)