Australia’s best-tasting tap water announced

The Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA) has announced the winner of its Best Tasting Tap Water competition for 2023, a nation-wide competition for water utilities.

Tasmania’s TasWater Fern Tree water treatment plant has taken out the title, competing against samples from South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales/ACT and Western Australia.

The competition was facilitated by WIOA, with the winner announced at the Lilydale and Yarra Valley Show in Victoria.

WIOA invited attendees at the show to taste all the water samples and vote for their most preferred sample. More than 215 people at the show cast their vote to determine the winner.

During 2023, water authorities in regional and metropolitan areas across Australia competed in state competitions to find their best drop. Those state winners were invited to battle it out for the national title, putting interstate rivalry to the ultimate test.

TasWater’s Fern Tree water treatment plant competed against:

South Australia – Olympic Dam Desal Plant – BHP
Queensland – Burgowan – Fraser Coast Regional Council
NSW/ACT – Nightcap – Rous County Council
Western Australia – Cue – Water Corporation

TasWater’s Fern Tree water treatment plant will have bragging rights for the next 12 months as the provider of Australia’s best drop and will go on to represent Australia at the annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition in the US in February 2024.

WIOA Chief Executive Officer, Dean Barnett, said, “Congratulations to TasWater on their prestigious win. I’d also like to acknowledge all the water providers and operators that work 24/7 to serve their communities.”

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 its search for the best tasting tap water in each state and nationally, WIOA invites 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,” Mr Barnett said.

“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.”

Mr Barnett also acknowledged IXOM’s support of the competition.

“Thanks to IXOM’s unwavering commitment and support of the industry, we have been able to continue running the competition.”

IXOM Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Bryce Wolfe, said, “IXOM is proud to be the sponsor of the prestigious 2023 IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water competition. IXOM has been involved in water treatment for almost a century. We supply chemicals to water treatment plants all over Australia to help ensure that Australia continues to have world-class, high-quality water.”