Feb 26, 2019   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Illinois American Water’s Champaign County District Wins Regional Water Taste Test

Illinois American Water’s Champaign County District is heading to a state drinking water competition after placing first place in a regional water taste test. Each year the 15-County Water Supply Operators Association holds a regional drinking water competition. Illinois American Water’s Champaign County Mattis Water Treatment Plant’s water sample was this year’s winning entry.

Water samples were judged on taste, odor and clarity. Champaign County’s local water service team will represent the region in a statewide taste test competition at the Illinois Section of American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) Conference, WATERCON 2019, in Springfield next month. The winner of the state competition will compete in AWWA’s national Best of the Best water taste test held during AWWA’s Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE19) in June. Over 12,000 water professionals across the country will gather at ACE19 where the best-tasting tap water in North America will be declared.

Dave Farrar, senior manager of field operations and production for Illinois American Water’s Champaign County service area, said, “Every day we strive to provide our customers with the best product possible. This recognition and the opportunity to compete for state and, possibly, national honors is a testament to the work our team does every day to provide award-winning drinking water to our friends and neighbors.”

Illinois American Water’s Champaign County District competed in the taste test previously, winning national Best of the Best honors in 2005 and 2006. Illinois American Water is one of only two water systems to earn the national honor twice.

About Illinois American Water - Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,100 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to over 14 million people in 46 states and Ontario, Canada. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.