WIOA and Ixom invite you to compete in the 2022 Ixom Best Tasting Tap Water in South Australia & Western Australia.
The water taste test is a fun and exciting way to raise awareness of the quality of SA’s & WA’s drinking water and to recognise the efforts of local water service providers in delivering valuable water services to their communities.
Australia’s best tasting tap water was decided on Thursday 20 January 2022, when WIOA with great support from TasWater hosted the Ixom 2021 Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia competition, putting interstate rivalry to the ultimate test.
Water authorities from various regional and metropolitan areas around Australia have participated in state competitions and now the state winners will go head to head for the national title and the chance to represent Australia at the annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition held in West Virginia, USA.
The competition was streamed online via zoom and Facebook with our judging panel in Hobart, the home state of the last years winner was from the Rossarden Water Treatment Plant in Tasmania.
The Casino sample will now head to the USA and represent Australia at the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition.
Photos & Footage for use : 2021 Taste Tests
State representatives that competed for the ultimate prize:
Cricket Australia National Selector
George Bailey
| Source | Richmond River |
| Facility | Casino Water Treatment Plant |
| Community | Casino |
| Population | 10,500 |
| Treatment | PAC dosing, coagulation, flocculation, filtration, disinfection |
| Source | Rock Creek which flows of the rear of Mt Wellington Park |
| Facility | Rocky Creek Water Treatment Plant |
| Community | Huonville / Ranelagh |
| Population | 500 |
| Treatment | UF Membrane, GAC, Calcite, UV, Hypo |
| Source | Moochalabra Dam |
| Facility | Wyndham Water Treatment Plant |
| Community | Wyndham |
| Population | 780 |
| Treatment | Coagulation, microfiltration, UV and chlorine discinfection |
| Source | River Murray or the Milbrook reservoir (River Torrens catchment) |
| Facility | Anstey Hill Water Treatment Plant |
| Community | Adelaide |
| Population | 642,00 |
| Treatment | Conventional : coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, media filtration and chlorination |
| Source | Candowie Reservoir |
| Facility | Ian Bartlett Water Purification Plant (IBWPP) |
| Community | Phillip Island, San Remo, Kilcunda, Dalyston, Corinella. |
| Population | 22,000 |
| Treatment | Combination of oxidation, adsorption, flocculation, coagulation, dissolved air flotation, filtration, pH correction, fluoridation and disinfection |
| Source | Pioneer River |
| Facility | Marian Water Treatment Plant |
| Community | Marian and Mirani |
| Population | 6,000 |
| Treatment | Clarification, filtration and chlorine disinfection |
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.
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
Feel free to use any part of the information contained in the media release for promotion and information.
| Year | NSW/ACT | Queensland | South Australia | Tasmania | Victoria | Western Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Mildura WTP Lower Murray Water | 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 Wooree Buloc 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 |
