Ohio town tabbed tops for U.S. tap water
Montpelier first, Hamilton third in international contest.
BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.VA.— The small Ohiocommunity of Montpelier has won the top prize for U.S. tap water at an international tasting contest.
Ohio towns took two of the topthreeprizesforBestMunicipalWater on Saturday at the 27th annual Berkeley Springs InternationalWaterTasting in West Virginia. Emporia, Kansas, took second place, and Hamilton, Ohio finishedthird.
The judges awarded co-champions for top bottled water to Zaros Natural Water from the Greek island of Crete and an AlphaPure SpringsWater of Ocala, Florida. There also was a tie for runner-up between Artesia of Crystal Falls, Michigan, and CanadianGoldArtesianWater of Marchand, Manitoba.
The sparking water entry also had co-champions: Last year’s winner, Tesanjski Kiseljak ofTesanj, Bosnia, tied with 2016’s silver medalist Touch Sparkling Mineral Water of Marchand, Manitoba.
GP8 Oxygen Water of Toronto, Ontario, was voted best purified drinking water.
Thepeople’s choice winner for packaging went to Svalbaroi Polar Iceberg Water of Longyearbyen, Norway.
Eleven judges tasted and selected fromamong dozens of waters from18 states, seven Canadian provinces and five foreign nations. Two countries, Costa Rica and Fiji, were new to the event this year. Judges based their rankings on taste, odor, mouth feel and aftertaste.
The event was held in an Eastern Panhandle townalso known for its water. Natural warm springs produce water at 74.3 degrees, once attracting American Indians, settlers and GeorgeWashington.
Washington, who first arrived in 1748, helped build BerkeleySprings’reputationas a getaway for the health-conscious. Astone bathtub serves as a monument to his visits.