Queensland has taken home the win at the 2024 IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia competition on 16 November 2024.
A sample from Isaac Regional Council’s Glenden Scheme water treatment plant has been crowned the country’s best drop and will now go on to represent Australia at the annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition in West Virginia, USA in February 2025.
After taking out the national title in 2023 with its Fern Tree sample, TasWater hosted event on its home turf. The competition was facilitated by the Water Industry Operations Association of Australia (WIOA), which announced the winner at the JackJumpers Family Day in Hobart, Tasmania.
WIOA invited attendees at the event to taste all the water samples and vote for the one they preferred most. Approximately 130 people at the event cast their vote to determine the winner.
During 2024, water authorities in regional and metropolitan areas across Australia competed in state competitions, with those winners then invited to battle it out for the national title, putting interstate rivalry to the ultimate test.
Isaac Regional Council’s Glenden Scheme water treatment plant was competing against:
- Yarra Valley Water – Plantes Hill Reservoir, Lilydale, Silvan (Vic)
- BHP – Olympic Dam Desal Plant (SA)
- TasWater – Fern Tree (Tas)
- Water Corporation – Dalyellup (WA)
- Wingecarribee Shire Council – Wingecarribeen (NSW/ACT)
WIOA CEO, Dean Barnett, congratulated Isaac Regional Council on its prestigious win.
“I’d also like to acknowledge all the water providers and operators that work 24/7 to serve their communities,” Mr Barnett said.
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.
In its search for the best tasting tap water in each state and nationally, WIOA invites all water suppliers to participate in the competition.
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.
“The competition celebrates the individuals and organisations that strive hard, some in very trying circumstances, to ensure their communities are supplied with safe drinking water every day,” Mr Barnett said.
“We want to draw people’s attention to the great work that is going on behind the scenes in their local communities to help shape and secure Australia’s water future.”
Mr Barnett also acknowledged IXOM’s support of the Best Tasting Tap Water competition.
“Thanks to IXOM’s unwavering commitment to the industry, we continue to be able to run the competition.”
Featured image: Issac Regional Council
