The American Water Works Association (AWWA) Taste Test Competition is widely regarded as the most distinguished national recognition a water provider can receive for their water. This year, WaterOne took home not only the first place “Best Of The Best” award, but was also judged as the crowd favorite, receiving the People’s Choice trophy as well.
Needless to say, WaterOne staff are thrilled with the recognition.
“It’s a profound honor for WaterOne as well as the 470,000 customers we serve,” said WaterOne General Manager Mike Armstrong. “Simply put, this award means that our customers can be confident that every time they turn on the tap, they are receiving some of the best water you can get, anywhere.”
The competition took place on June 14th at the AWWA ACE water industry national conference. In the contest, unlabeled water samples from WaterOne were judged against 23 other finalists from all over the country. The Best of the Best Water Taste Test is determined by an esteemed panel of judges, and the People's Choice Taste Test is selected by conference attendees.
WaterOne has received frequent accolades for the aesthetic qualities of its water. It is the winningest water utility in state for the “Best Tasting Water In Kansas” award, and has been a national finalist numerous times. However, this marks the first time WaterOne has won either national award, and only the second time in the history of the contest that both awards were won by the same utility.
“We’re beyond excited to finally have the ‘Best Of The Best’ trophy visit us here in Lenexa, KS,” said Director of Production Michelle Wirth. “The trophy will eventually be returned for next year’s competition, but until then it will be on display at various WaterOne work areas and locations for our employees and the public to experience it up-close.”
At its September meeting, the WaterOne Board commemorated the momentous achievement with an official resolution. In the resolution, the Board congratulated employees for the award, and expressed their appreciation for the organization’s commitment to customer satisfaction, dedication to exceptional service and value, and passion for making water nationally recognized for its excellent taste.
