Stevens Point Water Department Wins “Best of the Best” Water Taste Test
Water Provider Secures Top Honor at American Water Works Association’s Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE10)
Chicago, IL (Vocus) June 23, 2010
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) today announced that Wisconsin’s Stevens Point Water Department 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 (ACE10) in Chicago.
Stevens Point Water Department, now known throughout North America for its tasty water, has reliably provided Stevens Point residents with groundwater since 1922.
Second place in the competition was awarded to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection while Lincoln Water System of Nebraska and Silverdale Water District of Washington tied for third place.
Other “Best of the Best” participants in today’s competition included: City of Allegan, MI; City of Blythe, GA; Aurora (CO) Water; Ave Maria (FL) Utility Company; Massachusetts Water Resources Authority; Village of Canajoharie (NY) Water Works; Guaraguao Treatment Plant, Ponce, PR; City of Hamilton, OH; Hardin County (KY) Water District No. 2; Kearns (UT) Improvement District; Marshalltown (IA) Water Works; Moorhead (MN) Public Service; San Patricio (TX) Municipal Water District; St. Charles (LA) Water District No. 1; City of Stratford, ON; Valley City (ND) Public Works; and the Village of Park Forest, IL.
An esteemed judging panel rated each water system on its flavor characteristics. Judges included Dr. Stephen Booth of Kennedy/Jenks, who is also chair of AWWA’s Taste and Odor Committee; Monique Durand, engineer at Hazen and Sawyer, P. C and member of the Taste and Odor Committee; Dr. Pinar Omur-Ozbek, research assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado State University; and Matt Rodewald, reporter for Chicago’s NBC affiliate.
This is the sixth year AWWA has held the national competition. Previous winners are 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).
ACE10 gives its more than 12,000 attending 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 two exhibit hall education sessions, six in-depth Sunday workshops and 92 professional sessions.
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.
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