MADISON, Wis. — You’ve probably heard of wine and beer tasting, and maybe even milk tasting. But how about tap water tasting?
On Tuesday, judges decided Wisconsin’s best-tasting tap water in a showdown between local utilities from across the state. First place went to Appleton Water Utility, which sources its water from Lake Winnebago.
“I’m pretty proud of it,” said relief operator Kyle Smith, who accepted the award on behalf of the utility. “Especially pulling from Lake Winnebago. Everyone thinks that Lake Michigan’s the best, but apparently, we got it."
Watch: This city has Wisconsin's best-tasting tap water
Water samples were evaluated in two categories based on their sources: groundwater and surface water. The winners from these categories—La Crosse and Appleton—faced off in the final round of judging.
Judges considered taste, odor, and texture in determining the best tap water.
“Sometimes you can taste if there’s sediment or if it’s a little gritty. I like it to be very clean and fresh tasting,” said judge Loren Labovitch, who sits on the board of the American Water Works Association.
Appleton’s winning water will represent Wisconsin at the AWWA’s national competition in Denver next summer.
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