Lewisport wins best tasting water in Kentucky
On August 23 through the 25th, the Kentucky Rural Water Association held its annual conference and exhibition in the Galt House in Louisville, and as part of this conference it held its annual Best Tasting Water contest.
The judges named the water from the Lewisport Municipal Water Works as the tastiest water in Kentucky for 2021.
“This makes a record total of seven times that Lewisport has won bragging rights in this popular contest!” a press release from the Kentucky Rural Water Association stated.
Lewisport Mayor Chad Gregory heaped praise on the city’s water works personnel for the accomplishment.
“This is a testament to the quality of our employees,” Gregory said. “I and the city council want to thank our employees for making this a reality.”
Gregory said it was an honor to win the contest a record seven times. Lewisport is the only water system in the state to win the award three consecutive years, taking the honor in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
City Administrator Brent Wigginton said the city submitted the sample on Monday night, August 23. When they entered the sample, it was given a number so the judges examining the water would not know which water system submitted the example.
The judging took place on Tuesday evening. Wigginton said they knew the results immediately after the judging stopped.
“They judge the water on taste and clarity, that is the main criteria,” Wigginton said. “They also judge it on smell.”
Wigginton said the second closest competitor to Lewisport is the Glasgow water system with three victories in the contest, which started in 2000. Lewisport won its first competition in 2001. He said this is the first time in five years Lewisport won the state contest.
“Several other times we placed second,” Wigginton said. “We also placed third.”
The contest consisted of 16 different water systems from across the state. Lewisport is the state’s representative in the national Best Tasting Water Contest to be held in Washington D.C. in February of 2022.
“We have never won nationals,” Wigginton said. “I think we have been really close a few times. It would be really something to win the nationals.”
Wigginton said the 2022 Rural Water Rally to be held in Washington D.C. in early February of 2022 is important because it lets water system personnel meet various senators, representatives and other officials and let them know how important the funding Congress provides is to America’s water systems.
“We will talk about funding for the United States Department of Agriculture programs and Environmental Protection Agency programs that help fund Kentucky Rural Water,” Wigginton said.
He said part of the money helps fund circuit riders that help small water systems like Lewisport.
Wigginton said these officials help trouble shoot problems when they exist, and help keep water systems compliant with all of the appropriate environmental regulations from all levels of government.
“Kentucky Rural Water is indispensable to Kentucky rural water systems,” Wigginton said. “Not just small systems, but big systems too.”
By Ralph Dickerson
