Victorian water treatment plants will face off against each other in September as the 2019 Ixom Best Tasting Tap Water in Victoria competition heats up in Bendigo.
The 2019 Victorian champion will be determined at the Victorian Water Industry Operations Conference and Exhibition, which takes place at the Bendigo Exhibition Centre from 4-5 September.
Now in its eighth year of competition, water from treatment plants from around the state will be judged by their peers on odour, appearance and taste using the Water Tasting Wheel.
The Victorian winner will represent the state at the national competition at the 3 Peaks Festival in Dunkeld on 19 October.
Wannon Water and its tap water from the Hamilton Water Treatment Plant is the defending Victorian champion, the 2019 national champion and silver medal winner at the 29th Annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting event in West Virginia, US, held in February 2019.
Previous Victorian winners are:
2018 – Wannon Water
2017 – Goulburn Valley Water
2016 – North East Water
2015 – Goulburn Valley Water
2014 – South Gippsland Water
2013 – East Gippsland Water
2012 – Coliban Water
Hosted by the Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA), the Ixom Best Tasting Tap Water competition is all in the spirit of good fun, but has a meaningful undertone to it, recognising the hard work of those who ensure safe, clean drinking water is available to us every day.
With such good quality tap water available in Australia, there’s no need to be spending money on bottled water which contributes so much waste to landfill every year.
The winner of the national Ixom 2019 Best Tasting Tap Water competition will have bragging rights for the next 12 months and will go on to represent Australia at the annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition.
Stephen Rasdell, Ixom’s General Manager of Water, said that there’s an important reason for Ixom’s involvement in the taste test competition.
“We have been involved in Australian water treatment for some 80 years and are incredibly proud of the work being done in this space. IXOM has the expertise and experience to ensure high quality drinking water is supplied to homes around Australia,” Mr Rasdell said.
“We’re thrilled to be a part of this event and to celebrate the outstanding achievements of individuals and communities in supplying and maintaining exceptional water quality.”
Craig Mathisen, WIOA Chief Operations Officer, said, “Members of the general public would probably be surprised to learn the complexities involved in delivering high-quality water to our taps each day.
“The competition is a testament to the excellent quality of Australian water and to the diligence and commitment of the operational employees who deliver it to our communities day in, day out.
“Many of us turn on taps for a drink, to cook or shower, with little consideration of what it takes to operate and maintain the water infrastructure.
“We want to celebrate our unsung heroes — the water operators and the maintenance crews who work all year-round to ensure we have high-quality water, which is essential to keep us alive.”
