News | April 21, 2008

The Great American Water Taste Test To Decide America's Best-Tasting Water

Safe, clean, affordable water is a major issue anywhere in the world. In fact, nothing is more precious or raises bigger debate than quality water, whether it is bottled or straight from the tap. On Tuesday, April 22nd, the top water from small community drinking water suppliers from across the nation will be in the hot seat, as judges taste, slurp, sniff, and gurgle their way to the best of the best.

The nation's largest community-based environmental organization, the National Rural Water Association will hold its annual meeting in Washington D.C. and the Great American Water Taste Test. The goal: to prove that great-tasting water comes straight from the tap.

The 9th Annual Great American Water Taste Test will be held during the NRWA Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, in room Regency A, on Tuesday, April 22, 2008, at Noon.

Often the public is not aware that tap water is subject to strict environmental inspections and is often tested more frequently than the water found in a bottle. In fact, if you look on the label of bottled water, it often comes straight from a local tap.

  • The Taste Test preliminaries will be held at 1:30 p.m., Monday, April 21, at the Hyatt Regency, with 5 finalists being selected by a panel of judges.
  • On Tuesday, April 22, at 12 noon, the five finalists will be judged during the NRWA Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency. This year's judges are: EPA Assistant Administrator Ben Grumbles, USDA's Farm Services Agency Administrator Teresa Lasseter, and Melanie Rhinehart, Legislative Director for U.S. Representative Earl Pomeroy (ND).
  • Water is judged based on three attributes: clarity, bouquet, and taste.
  • State Rural Water Associations conduct preliminary competitions selecting the best water from small and rural systems to represent their state at the national finals. In all, over 750 water utilities competed for the chance to go to the D.C. finals.
  • Find out who has the best-tasting water in the United States at this year's Great American Water Taste Test.
  • The list of the state finalists is available at www.ruralwater.org/finalists.htm

The National Rural Water Association is comprised of more than 25,000 community water and wastewater supplies from 48 nonprofit, state rural water associations. Contact: Mike Keegan of the National Rural Water Association at keegan@ruralwater.org

SOURCE: The National Rural Water Association