Apollo Bay tap water ranked among state’s best

A GLASS of water in Apollo Bay is one of the best you can get in the state, with the town one of four finalists in this year’s IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water in Victoria competition.

All water suppliers in Victoria were invited to submit a sample of their finest drop to the Water Industry Operations Association of Australia (WIOA).

The award for the Victorian title was judged and presented in Bendigo on February 28 at the annual WIOA conference.

Yarra Valley Water’s entry from the Cresswell Water Treatment Plant was declared the best, with Barwon Water’s Apollo Bay entry one of the three other finalists alongside Central Highlands Water’s White Swan entry and North East Water’s Oxley entry.

Barwon Water has had success in the competition in the past, winning the state title in 2019.

The annual IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water competition raises awareness of the quality of drinking water in Australia, and to recognise the efforts of local water service providers in delivering valuable water services to their communities.

Water samples are subjected to a blind taste test and rated according to the Water Tasting Wheel, which outlines some of the attributes that water professionals use when judging water such as colour, clarity, odour and taste.

“The competition celebrates the individuals and organisations that strive hard, some in very trying circumstances, to ensure their communities are supplied with safe drinking water every day,” WIOA chief executive officer Dean Barnett said.

“We want to draw people’s attention to the great work that is going on behind the scenes in their local communities to help shape and secure Australia’s water future.”

ICOM chief executive officer Bryce Wolfe said his company was proud to sponsor the competition.

“IXOM is a leading supplier of water treatment chemicals to the water sector. We’ve been a proud local manufacturer for more than a century, supplying chemicals to water treatment plants all over Australia to help ensure everyone has access to safe, clean and great-tasting drinking water.”