Oklahoma City water is best in North America

[RecycleMichael]

Wow.

TORONTO (Reuters) - A neutral water that tastes of nothing won the "best of the best" award on Monday at an annual competition to find North America's finest drinking water.

The winner, Oklahoma City, outranked 10 other finalists in the contest, which was held on the sidelines of the American Water Works Association conference in Toronto. Champaign, Illinois-based Illinois American Water, winner in 2005 and 2006, was not a finalist this year.

"The winning water in its nothingness and neutrality, pleased all of the judges," said guest judge Jennifer Bain, food editor for the Toronto Star newspaper.

"It had no odor, no taste... It wasn't oily, which was exactly what we were looking for."

A beaming Harold Ceifert, executive director for Oklahoma City Water and Wastewater Utilities Southwest Section, said "love and care" were the key to the city's victory.

"We operate two water treatment plants and it's a continuous competition between operators at both plants to produce the best tasting water they can," he said.

[cannon_fodder]

My only complaint with Tulsa water is the chlorine taste when bacteria levels spike (usually early spring and heat waves).  I guess I'd rather have chlorine and my shower smell like a pool than the bacteria...

[cannon_fodder]

St. Louis has the best tasting water - according to the conference of mayors.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/A8252FF6BA5F50A48625730500785D33?OpenDocument

I'm so confused!

[AngieB]

If OKC has the best tasting water, why don't people who live there like it?

I visit friends there a lot and they hate the water! Most say Tulsa's water is better.

[sgrizzle]

This could become a more important issue if this kind of thing starts happening worldwide:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/6/story.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10447958

I missed out on the bottled water explosion but I've got a lot invested in canned air, just waiting for that market to take off.

[PonderInc]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

Wow.

TORONTO (Reuters) - A neutral water that tastes of nothing won the "best of the best" award on Monday at an annual competition to find North America's finest drinking water.

The winner, Oklahoma City, outranked 10 other finalists in the contest, which was held on the sidelines of the American Water Works Association conference in Toronto. Champaign, Illinois-based Illinois American Water, winner in 2005 and 2006, was not a finalist this year.

"The winning water in its nothingness and neutrality, pleased all of the judges," said guest judge Jennifer Bain, food editor for the Toronto Star newspaper.

"It had no odor, no taste... It wasn't oily, which was exactly what we were looking for."

A beaming Harold Ceifert, executive director for Oklahoma City Water and Wastewater Utilities Southwest Section, said "love and care" were the key to the city's victory.

"We operate two water treatment plants and it's a continuous competition between operators at both plants to produce the best tasting water they can," he said.

Where did they hide the Aquafina bottle after they poured the sample?

[USRufnex]

Wow.  Back when I went to college in OKC, my water bill always had a special notation saying it didn't meet EPA standards...

Anybody know what's changed in the last decade or so?  Cuz the food editor for the Toronto Star would never praise the taste of any tap water that didn't meet EPA standards... or would she?