FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ria Convery
(617) 788-1105, ria.convery@mwra.com
Clean Sweep
MWRA Executive Director Frederick Laskey
and BWSC Executive Director Henry F. Vitale
It was a double victory today for MWRA tap water. In a taste test at the American Water Works’ Annual Conference and Exhibition, Boston’s tap water was awarded the title “Best Water in the Country.”
The first place winner was the Boston Water and Sewer Commission and second place went to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority – both waters share the same source and are treated at the John Carroll Water Treatment Plant in Marlborough.
“Best of the Best” Tap Water Taste Test
Water Provider Secures Top Honor at American Water Works Association’s
Annual Conference and Exposition
The American Water Works Association announced today that Boston Water and Sewer Commission of Boston, Mass. has won the tenth annual “Best of the Best” Tap Water Taste Test. Second place in the competition was given to another Boston, Mass. water utility – Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. The event, composed of regional winners from water-tasting competitions across North America, was held at AWWA’s Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE14) in Boston, Mass.
Third place in the competition was given to the City of Kalama, Wash. The People’s Choice award winner, as determined by the conference attendees, also went to the City of Kalama, Wash.
Other “Best of the Best” participants in today’s competition included: Ave Maria Utility Company, Ave Maria, Fla.; Big Sky Water and Sewer District No. 363, Big Sky, Mont.; Capital Region Water, Harrisburg, Penn.; City and Borough of Juneau Water Utility, Juneau, Alaska; City of Alcoa, Tenn.; City of Chelsea, Mich.; City of Hamilton, Ohio; City of Meridian, Miss.; City of Olathe, Kan.; City of Raleigh, N.C.; City of Sioux Falls, S.D.; City of Toronto, Ont.; City of Tulsa, Okla.; Clear Water Service Corp., Mattoon, Ill.; DC Water, Washington, D.C.; Fremont Dept. of Utilities, Fremont, Neb.; Greenville Water, Greenville, S.C.; Halifax Water, Halifax, N.S.; I&D Water, Savannah, Ga.; Madison Water, Madison, Wisc.; Marin Municipal Water District, Corte Madera, Calif.; Oklahoma City Utilities Department, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, San Juan, P.R.; Town of Erie, Colo.; Township of Livingston, N.J.; Trinity River Authority of Texas, Euliss, Texas; Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, Layton, Utah and Western Virginia Water Authority, Roanoke, W.Va.
An esteemed judging panel rated each water system on its flavor characteristics. Judges included Roy Desrochers, sensory practice leader for GEI Consultants, Inc.; James Naylor, project manager at Alan Plummer Associates; Matt Tolcher senior project manager with Jacobs and Peter Howe, business editor for the New England Cable News.
This is the tenth year AWWA has held the national competition. Previous winners are Oklahoma City Water and Wastewater Utility (2007 and 2013), Fremont, Neb. (2012), Greenville, S.C. (2011), Stevens Point, Wis. (2010), Macon (Ga.) Water Authority (2009), Louisville (Ky.) Water Company (2008) and Illinois American Water, Champaign District (2006 and 2005).
ACE14, which has brought an estimated 11,000 water experts to Boston, is the longest running water conference in the world, having first convened in 1881. The event features several hundred expert presentations and an exposition of more than 500 companies showcasing the latest innovations in water technology.
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Established in 1881, the American Water Works Association is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water, the world’s most important resource. With approximately 50,000 members, AWWA provides solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy and enhance our quality of life.
Posted June 10, 2014