Rural Water - Quarter 2, 2008 - (Page 44) The Great American The Water Taste Test 2008 Water Tastte Test Water Taste Test ate as ater Ta est ater Taste es Best Water e USA in the lR l Water A i ti National Rural W t Association Southampton Water Department, Southampton, Mass., Awarded the Gold Medal Top: Melanie Rhinehart-VanTassell, legislative director, Congressman Pomeroy’s office, (ND) closely studies one of the five finalists for best tasting water in America. Above: Teresa Lasseter, administrator, Farm Service Agency, USDA, lifts a glass to judge its clarity. Ben Grumbles, assistant administrator, EPA Office of Drinking Water, is robed in his official judges’ white coat. NRWA President Rodney Tart presents the Bronze Medal to Henry Meyer, president of Atlantic States Rural Water Association, as he accepts for the Town of North Kingstown, R.I. EPA, USDA and Congressional offices tasted, slurped, sniffed, and gurgled their way to judge the best water in the country. State rural water associations conduct preliminary competitions, usually at their annual conferences, selecting the best water to represent their state at the national finals. The Great American Water Taste Test preliminaries were held on Monday, April 21, with five fi nalists being selected by a panel of judges from across the nation. On Tuesday, April 22, at 12 noon, the fi ve fi nalists were judged during a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency. The fi ve fi nalists were: Avilla, Indiana (silver medalist last year), Lewes Board of Public Works, Lewes, The nation’s largest community-based environmental organization, National Rural Water Association, held its annual Rural Water Rally in Washington D.C., in April, along with the 9th Annual Great American Water Taste Test. The goal: to prove that great tasting water comes straight from the tap. Safe, clean, affordable water is a major issue anywhere in the world. In fact, nothing is more precious or raises a bigger debate than quality water, whether it is bottled or straight from the tap. In Washington, D.C., small community drinking water suppliers from across the nation were in the hot seat as judges from 44 • Second Quarter 2008
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