Casino – NSW wins Ixom 2021 Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia 

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:

  • ACT/NSW – Richmond Valley Council – Casino Water Treatment Plant
  • SA – SA Water /SUEZ – Anstey Hill Water Treatment Plant
  • WA – Water Corporation – Wyndham Water Treatment Plant
  • VIC – Westernport Water – Ian Bartlett Water Purification Plant
  • TAS – TasWater – Rocky CreekWater Treatment Plant
  • QLD – Mackay Regional Council – Marian Water Treatment Plant

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

Guest judge

Cricket Australia National Selector
George Bailey

Proudly sponsored by

2021 State Winners

NSW

Richmond Valley Council

Source Richmond River
Facility Casino Water Treatment Plant
Community Casino
Population 10,500
Treatment PAC dosing, coagulation, flocculation, filtration, disinfection

Grand Finalists

  • Orange City Council – Icely Road WTP
  • Richmond Valley Council – Casino WTP
  • Sydney Water/Veolia Water – Sydney Desalination Facility

Tasmania

TasWater

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

Grand Finalists

  • TasWater/TRILITY – Bronte Park WTP
  • TasWater – Ferntree WTP
  • TasWater – Rocky Creek WTP

Western Australia

Water Corporation

Source Moochalabra Dam
Facility Wyndham Water Treatment Plant
Community Wyndham
Population 780
Treatment Coagulation, microfiltration, UV and chlorine discinfection

Grand Finalists

  • Busselton Water – Busselton WTP
  • Water Corporation – Wyndham WTP

South Australia

SA Water/Suez

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

Grand Finalists

  • SA Water/SUEZ – Anstey Hill WTP
  • SA Water/TRILITY – Swan Reach WTP
  • SA Water/TRILITY – Waikerie WTP

Victoria

Westernport Water

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

Grand Finalists

  • Coliban Water/Veolia – Kyneton WTP
  • North East Water – Wodonga WTP
  • Westernport Water – Ian Bartlett Water Purification Plant, Bass

Queensland

Mackay Regional Council

Source Pioneer River
Facility Marian Water Treatment Plant
Community Marian and Mirani
Population 6,000
Treatment Clarification, filtration and chlorine disinfection

Grand Finalists

  • Bundaberg Regional Council – Bundaberg Scheme
  • Mackay Regional Council – Marian WTP

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.

Australian World Championship Medals

  • GOLD - 2021 Tasmania

    TasWater/TRILITY, Rossarden WTP

  • SILVER - 2019 Queensland

    Mackay Regional Council – Marian WTP

  • SILVER - 2018 Victoria

    Wannon Water – Hamilton WTP

  • SILVER - 2015 Victoria

    Goulburn Valley Water – Marysville WTP

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.

Craig Mathisen, WIOA Chief Operations Officer

For further information contact Craig Mathisen on 0457 846 008 | craig@wioa.org.au

Media release

Feel free to use any part of the information contained in the media release for promotion and information.

Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia – Champions

State Champions

YearNSW/ACTQueenslandSouth AustraliaTasmaniaVictoriaWestern Australia
2021Richmond 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
2020Port 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
2019Shoalhaven 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
2018Port 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
2017Icon Water
Mt Stomolo WTP		Livingstone Shire Council
Capricorn Cost Scheme		SA Water
Morgan WTP		TasWater
Lake Fenton Scheme		Goulburn Valley Water
Merrijig WTP
2016Nambucca Shire Council
Bowraville WTP		Toowoomba Regional Council
Mt Kynock WTP		AllWater
Happy Valley WTP		TasWater
Barrington WTP		North East Water
Myrtleford WTP
2015Orange City Council
Icely Road WTP		Barcaldine Regional Council
Barcaldine WTP		TasWater
Bicheno WTP		Goulburn Valley Water
Marysville WTP

Australian Champions

  • 2021 NSW

    Richmond Valley Council
    – Casino WTP

  • 2020 Tasmania

    TasWater  / TRILITY – Rossarden WTP

  • 2019 Queensland

    Mackay Regional Council – Marian WTP

  • 2018 Victoria

    Wannon Water – Hamilton WTP

  • 2017 Queensland

    Toowoomba Regional Council – Mt Kynoch WTP

  • 2016 Tasmania

    TasWater – Barrington WTP

  • 2015 Victoria

    Goulburn Valley Water – Marysville WTP