FSAWWA Region III 2018 Best Tasting Drinking Water Contest
The Florida Section of the American Water Works Association (“FSAWWA”), Region III which includes Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia Counties held its annual “Best Tasting Drinking Water Contest” on Wednesday, March 27, 2018. The contest is open to all private and government owned Central Florida Region III Utilities. All entries are judged by an impartial panel of judges and this year’s panel included Donna Metherall, Casey Cumiskey with FSAWWA and media representative, Jorge Estevez with WFTV-TV Channel 9. The identities of the samples were withheld during the judging.
Twelve utilities competed, including, City of Altamonte Springs, City of Casselberry, City of DeLand, City of Leesburg, City of St. Cloud, City of Tavares, City of Winter Garden, City of Sanford, Orange County Utilities, The Villages, Volusia County Utilities and Pluris Wedgefield. Pluris Wedgefield, Inc.’s drinking water was awarded first place and recognition as “Central Florida’s Best Tasting Drinking Water” among all 12 utilities.
This marks the second time in the last three years Pluris has won the prestigious award and believes the quality of the water has even improved since the first award in 2016 due to the implementation of chlorine dioxide replacing chlorine as the primary disinfectant. Improvements in taste have been noted by customers since the conversion.
By winning first place, Pluris Wedgefield will be invited to participate in the AWWA State Section contest for the “Best Tasting Drinking Water, State of Florida” during the Florida Water Resources Conference, April 16-18, 2018.
Joseph Kuhns, Florida Regional Manager for Pluris commented, “I am pleased that the panel of judges, comprised of AWWA members as well as a media representative from Channel 9, recognized Pluris Wedgefield’s water as the best tasting drinking water in Central Florida by awarding first place to our utility. I also am very proud of Pluris staff on this achievement.”
