Top drop crowned in state water taste test

LORNE residents can boast they have the best tap water in the state with Barwon Water taking out a coveted honour. The Lorne water supply was crowned the Victorian winner of the 2025 IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia competition.

It was competing in the grand final against Coliban Water’s Trentham water treatment plant and Central Highlands Water’s Ballarat plant.

Water samples undergo a blind taste test and are evaluated using the Water Tasting Wheel, which highlights key attributes such as colour, clarity, odour and taste.

All water suppliers across the state were invited to submit a sample of their finest drop to the Water Industry Operations Association of Australia and Barwon Water will now compete for the national title in Queensland in November.

Lorne’s drinking water is sourced exclusively from the Allen Reservoir on the St George River, about 3 kilometres west of the town. It is surrounded by the Great Otway National Park.

 

Water is then treated at the Lorne Water Treatment Plant on Polwarth Road, where it is filtered and disinfected, before being distributed to more than 2000 customers.

Barwon Water supplies more than 37,000 million litres of drinking water each year across an area of more than 8,100 square metres.

It previously won the IXOM state title in 2019 with water from the Wurdee Boluc treatment plant.

Barwon Water head of treatment and chief scientist Dr Will Buchanan said the water authority was proud of the achievement.

“We are committed to providing safe, secure, high-quality drinking water to our community.

“Safe high-quality drinking water doesn’t just happen – it requires protection of precious water catchment environments and the day-to-day actions by highly-skilled and competent operators.”

Barwon Water has a Drinking Water Quality Risk Management Plan which is certified to the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point food safety standard.