Multiple states across Australia will compete against each other in the annual Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA) IXOM 2023 Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia competition, for an opportunity to represent the nation in an international competition in March 2024.
The state representatives competing for the 2023 Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia include the following:
- South Australia – Olympic Dam Desal Plant – BHP
- Tasmania – Fern Tree water treatment plant – TasWater
- Queensland – Burgowan water treatment plant – Fraser Coast Regional Council
- NSW/ACT – Nightcap – Rous County Council
- Western Australia – Cue – Water Corporation
All representatives have been invited to go head to head for the national title during the Lilydale & Yarra Valley Show in Lilydale, Victoria on 18 November.
Last year, the Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia award was received by Victoria, with the 2022 national winner being Melbourne Water’s Cresswell water treatment plan. However Victoria will not have the opportunity to compete in the 2023 National competition due to the state winning plant not being operational, resulting in the plant being unable to provide a sample for the competition.
Attendees at the Lilydale & Yarra Valley Show will be asked to taste all the water samples and vote for the one they prefer most. Judging will run between 9am and 1pm and the winner will be announced at approximately 3.45pm, the same day.
Not only will the 2023 winner have bragging rights for the next 12 months as the provider of Australia’s best drop, the state will also go on to represent Australia at the annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition in West Virginia, USA in February 2024.
The annual IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water competition is considered to be 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.
In its search for the best tasting tap water in each state and nationally, WIOA invites all water suppliers to participate in the competition.
WIOA CEO, Dean Barnett, said the competition helps to recognise and acknowledge the individuals and organisations that are ensuring that their communities are supplied with safe drinking water every day.
“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.
“Thanks to IXOM’s unwavering commitment and support of the industry, we have been able to continue running the competition,” Mr Barnett said.
Featured image: 2021 IXOM Water of Origin Taste Test. Image courtesy of WIOA.
