In Colorado, you’re by no means too removed from Rocky Mountain snowmelt, so it’s no shock that an annual competitors for the state’s best-tasting water resulted in a three-way tie. Nevertheless, after a sudden-death sip-off, Denver took residence the gold.
The style take a look at, held on the American Water Works Affiliation Rocky Mountain Part convention in Keystone, pitted eight submissions from across the state in opposition to each other. Bronze and silver additionally went to Entrance Vary cities. Louisville took second and Broomfield took third.
The primary place metropolis chalked its success as much as laborious work from staff who work on water from “supply to faucet.”
“We’ve bought folks working 24/7, 365 to maintain it tip-top,” mentioned Nick Yarish, a water remedy plant supervisor with Denver Water.
The panel of six judges, every blindly testing and ranking samples from every metropolis, included an environmental engineer, a farmer, a utility supervisor and this reporter. Victor Sam was maybe probably the most professional amongst them. Sam, an environmental engineer whose work has targeted on water style and odor, mentioned Denver’s water was “probably the most versatile.”
“What which means is I can combine Kool-Help with it and it’ll be nice,” he mentioned, “Or simply drink it out of the hose and it’ll be nice.”
Whereas water may appear tasteless, the stuff that flows out of your house faucet is usually fastidiously balanced to incorporate a sure mixture of minerals in an try to go away water drinkers feeling quenched.
In relation to judging a contest, Sam mentioned the “finest” water is really a matter of private choice. Completely different folks, he mentioned, will typically favor one water over one other based mostly on the place they dwell or grew up.
“It’s what brings again nice reminiscences,” he mentioned. “For me it’s tenting or mountaineering, in order that’s why I favor mountain water. It’s actually a private feeling.”
Denver’s profitable water will advance to a nationwide style take a look at competitors on the American Water Works Affiliation’s annual convention – coincidentally in Denver, this time — in June 2025.
This story is a part of ongoing protection of water within the West, produced by KUNC, and supported by the Walton Household Basis.