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2022 VIC
Melbourne Water – Cresswell
Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia – Champions
State Champions
| Year | NSW/ACT | QLD | SA | TAS | VIC | WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | TBC | TBC | BHP Olympic Dam Desal Plant | TBC | TBC | TBC |
| 2022 | Shoalhaven Water Bamarang WTP | Mackay Regional Council Nebo Road WTP | TRILITY Murray Bridge WTP | TasWater Ferntree WTP | Melbourne Water Creswell WTP | Water Corporation Wyndham WTP |
| 2021 | Richmond Valley Council Casino WTP | Mackay Regional Council Marian WTP | SA Water Suez Anstey Hill WTP | TasWater Stornoway Rocky Creek WTP | Westernport Water IBWPP Bass | Water Corporation Wyndham WTP |
| 2020 | Port Macquaire Hastings Council Wauchope WTP | Livingstone Shire Council Capricorn Cost Scheme | SA Water Woolpunda WTP | TasWater TRILITY Rossarden WTP | Lower Murray Water Mildura WTP | Water Corporation Yalgoo WTP |
| 2019 | Shoalhaven Water Bamarang WTP | Mackay Regional Council Marian WTP | SA Water Swan Reach WTP | TasWater Mount Leslie WTP | Barwon Water Wurdee Boluc WTP | Water Corporation Mundaring WTP |
| 2018 | Port Macquarie Hastings Council Port Macquarie WTP | Mackay Regional Council Nebo Road WTP | SA Water Woolpunda WTP | TasWater Bryn Estyn WTP (Greater Hobart) | Wannon Water Hamilton WTP | |
| 2017 | Icon Water Mt Stomolo WTP | Livingstone Shire Council Capricorn Cost Scheme | SA Water Morgan WTP | TasWater Lake Fenton Scheme | Goulburn Valley Water Merrijig WTP | |
| 2016 | Nambucca Shire Council Bowraville WTP | Toowoomba Regional Council Mt Kynock WTP | AllWater Happy Valley WTP | TasWater Barrington WTP | North East Water Myrtleford WTP | |
| 2015 | Orange City Council Icely Road WTP | Barcaldine Regional Council Barcaldine WTP | TasWater Bicheno WTP | Goulburn Valley Water Marysville WTP |
Australian Champions
MELBOURNE WATER – VICTORIA WINS IXOM 2022 BEST TASTING TAP WATER IN AUSTRALIA
Australia’s best tasting tap water was decided on Saturday 12 November 2022, when WIOA with great support from Richmond Valley Council hosted the Ixom 2022 Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia competition, putting interstate rivalry to the ultimate test.
Water authorities from various regional and metropolitan areas around Australia had already participated and won the Grand Final in their respective state-based competitions, and were then put head to head for the National Title and the chance to represent Australia.
The National competition was hosted by last year’s winner, Richmond Valley Council in Casino. An exhibition space at the Primex Field Days was set up with the countries best samples sent for judging, with over 250 people tasting all 6 of the samples.
Ultimately the team from Melbourne Water with their sample from the Creswell WTP were announced as the 2022 Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia.
The Creswell sample will now be sent over to the USA and represent Australia at the annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition held in West Virginia, USA.
Photos & Footage for use : 2022 Taste Test
State representatives that competed for the ultimate prize:
- ACT/NSW – Shoalhaven Water – Bamarang WTP
- QLD – Mackay Regional Council – Nebo Road WTP
- SA – TRILITY – Murray Bridge WTP
- TAS – TasWater – Ferntree WTP
- VIC – Melbourne Water – Creswell WTP
- WA – Water Corporation – Wyndham TWP
Judges look for
- Colour Water that is completely translucent without any white or brown tones
- Clarity Crystal clear water with minimal turbidity
- Odour Samples that are pleasing to smell – nice scent
- Taste Samples that are pleasing to the palate
2022 State Winners
ACT/NSW
Shoalhaven City Council
| Source | Shoalhaven River |
| Facility | Bamarang WTP |
| Community | Nowra |
| Population | 100,000 |
| Treatment | Conventional WTP – Flocculation, Clarification, Filtration, PH Correction (Lime CO2) post dose Chlorine and Fluoride. |
Grand Finalists
- Port Macquarie Hastings Council
- Shoalhaven City Council
- Tamworth Regional Council
QLD
Mackay Regional Council
| Source | Pioneer River |
| Facility | Nebo Road WTP |
| Community | Sarina, Farleigh & Seaforth |
| Population | 105,000 |
| Treatment | Conventional WTP – Coagulation, Sedimentation, Filtration & Chlorination. |
Grand Finalists
- n/a
SA
TRILITY
| Source | Murray River |
| Facility | Murray Bridge WTP |
| Community | Murray Bridge |
| Population | 20,000 |
| Treatment | Conventional WTP – Flocculation, Clarification, Sand and anthracite Filtration, Chlorine & UV |
Grand Finalists
- Renmark – TRILITY
- Murray Bridge – TRILITY
- Loxton – TRILITY
TAS
TasWater
| Source | Mt Wellington/North West Bay River |
| Facility | Ferntree WTP |
| Community | Hobart |
| Population | 20% of Hobarts 93,000 |
| Treatment | Chlorination for Disinfection & Fluoridation |
Grand Finalists
- National Park – TasWater
- Rocky Creek – TasWater
- Ferntree – TasWater
VIC
Melbourne Water
| Source | Graceburn Creek |
| Facility | Cresswell WTP |
| Community | Healesville |
| Population | 10,000 |
| Treatment | Membrane Process – Ultrafiltration, Coagulation, Chlorination, UV Disinfection |
Grand Finalists
- Central Highlands Water
- Goulburn Valley Water
- Melbourne Water
WA
Water Corporation
| Source | Moochalarbra Dam |
| Facility | Wyndham WTP |
| Community | Wyndham |
| Population | 700 |
| Treatment | Microfiltration membrane treatment plant with Coagulation, Chlorination & UV Disinfection |
Grand Finalists
- Busselton – Busselton Water
- Pemberton – Water Corporation
- Wyndham – Water Corporation
Quotes attributable for the taste test
The general public would probably be surprised to learn the complexities involved in delivering high-quality water to our taps each day.
Many of us turn on taps for a drink, to cook and shower, with little consideration of what it takes to operate and maintain the water infrastructure. 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.
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.
Many of WIOA members are working hard behind the scenes for their communities to deliver high quality drinking water, whilst dealing with the impacts of COVID-19 and before that drought, fires and floods in various parts of Australia, and we want to use the Taste Test Competition to let people know the great work that is going on in local communities around Australia as these teams help shape and secure Australia’s water future.
For further information contact WIOA on 03 5821 6744 | info@wioa.org.au
SA 2023 Media Release
Feel free to use any part of the information contained in the media release for promotion and information.
Australia’s 2020 Best Tasting Tap Water is the Best in the World
Water from a small regional town in Tasmania, which was once deemed unsafe for consumption, is now the best tasting in the world.
Water from the Rossarden Water Treatment Plant in the state’s Northern Midlands represented Australia after winning the WIOA – Ixom Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia competition in 2020. The top drop has now won the Best Municipal Water for 2021 at the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting event in West Virginia, USA, a global event that judged water from five continents, 14 countries and 19 US states.
This is the first time water from Australia has won the prestigious award, which is a major coup for the nation and the state.
The Rossarden Water Treatment Plant is run in partnership with water utility services provider TRILITY, which built and designed the facility as part of TasWater’s 24glasses Regional Towns Water Supply Program in 2018.
“It’s a great result for the community and is particularly pleasing because Rossarden was part of our 24glasses Regional Towns Water Supply Program. With the plant in place, the community can take advantage of the water that flows from Ben Lomond knowing it is safe to drink. It’s a welcome bonus to see it recognised as not only the best tasting drinking water in Australia, but now the world.”
TasWater Senior Water System Optimisation Scientist Stephen Westgate
WIOA’s IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water Competitions celebrate the work undertaken by many WIOA members who work hard behind the scenes for their communities to deliver high-quality drinking across Australia.
