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2008 regional tap water taste-off contest. Photos courtesy of AMNH/Matt Shanley.
This morning the American Museum of Natural History hosted a Tap Water Taste-off on their steps. New York City was one of five area communities competing for the title of tastiest tap water in the state during the event. Who came out on top at the 2008 regional taste-off contest? Sadly, we were robbed, with Bethpage in Nassau County grabbing the blue ribbon. The good news is NYC came in 2nd! With that kind of placement, the city will represent during the big event at the New York State Fair on August 26th.
The event was not scientific, and relied on passerby to blindly taste test each cup -- though it was pointed out that tap water is serious business, and the competition stresses the importance of clean, safe, and healthy drinking water. Earlier this year the Riverkeeper and Clean Drinking Water Coalition gave us A grades for our tap, or more accurately, "for reducing fecal coliform from waterfowl, managing stormwater runoff and waterborne disease risk assessment." If you're thirsty for more knowledge on NYC's tap water, check out AMNH's Water exhibit, which includes the New York City Water Story.
Other areas who were sent home shamed this morning after not placing in the Top 2: New Windsor (Orange County), Dix Hills Water District (Suffolk County) and Croton-on-Hudson (Westchester County). See you at the New York State Fair, Bethpage.
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NYC is 3rd in my tap-water tasting history. #1 was Troy, NY (Tomahannock Reservoir Upstate) and Mechanicville, NY (their own reservoir).
How about the web site of the people that actually bring you the water? Lots of info there:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/drinking_water/index.shtml
Jen, you have to correct the spelling of Nassau County.
The water is good in NYC, just depends on the pipes you're getting them from.
^that's what she said
#3 that is true
of course you realize the older the pipes the better
All the natural minerals that have built up in the 100+ old pipes make NYC water some of the cleanest and most filtered in the nation
Pish! Everyone participating in this event drinks only the finest bottled water. How dare they use our discriminating superior tastes to test TAP water. Only poor people drink from the tap.
How beastly
croton's water is the best!!!
we got the dam, kid!
Does a Britta filter out fecal coliform? I don't think Jersey City ranks up there very high in the water purity category.
Troy???
It's been years since I lived there, but I don't remember the water being particularly good or bad. I do remember that when you wanted cold water, it just came right out EXTREMELY COLD, which made me ridiculously happy.
I really should start bottling this stuff and marketing it to the rest of the country. Bottled water still costs more than gasoline. Just plaster the label with all the taste test accolades and the money should start flowing in. Now what shall I call it? AquaGotham? Big Apple Springs? Nouveau Yorkier?
I don't want to move to Troy or Mechanicsville (I know how to spell it). In the old days when a waiter asked if I wanted San Pellegrino, I would say, no, Giuliano, please. If I were in Boston it would be Menino. Giuliano is better
I really should start bottling this stuff and marketing it to the rest of the country.
Pepsi and Coke already beat you to this. Aquafina and Dasani are both just filtered tap water.
Everybody knows most bottled waters are from municipal supplies, not just those two, but none of them are selling it as New York City water! That's the marketing hook. The other companies never tell you where their water is from. They just vaguely say "municipal sources." And another point is that this water wouldn't have to be advertised as filtered. It's already as good as it gets.
Staten Island should have been #1. They have their own reservoir -- in the landfills.
Could it maybe have placed so well because most of the tasters actually live in the city and drink the water from their own faucets - thus being used to (and enjoying) the taste of the city's water?
Frequently, when I leave the city, regardless of where I am, the water tasts funny to me.