New Brighton Wins Minnesota's Best Tap Water Taste Test at State Fair

The Minnesota State Fair’s annual tap water tasting contest, held on its opening day, crowned New Brighton as the winner of the 2023 competition, granting the city a glass droplet-shaped trophy and bragging rights for the year.

Organized by the Minnesota Section of the American Water Works Association, the event aimed to highlight the quality and safety of Minnesota’s tap water. Fair attendees sampled water from 22 cities across the state, narrowing down their preferences in a blind taste test. New Brighton’s groundwater-derived tap water emerged as the crowd favorite.

While the contest is not scientific, it serves an educational purpose, emphasizing that tap water is held to stringent safety and cleanliness standards under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Minnesota’s compliance rate with these standards is exceptionally high—99% of public water systems meet or exceed requirements, compared to a national average of around 90%, according to state and federal data.

The contest has taken place at the State Fair since 2012. Organizers suggest that taste preferences may correlate with whether participants are accustomed to groundwater or surface water, which have different mineral compositions. While taste can vary based on these factors, all competing water sources are safe to drink, regardless of flavor.

New Brighton, which relies on groundwater treated to remove contaminants like iron and manganese, was not present to accept the trophy but will receive it at an upcoming city council meeting. The city’s water undergoes three treatment processes to improve taste and odor.

For the 21 other participating utilities, the event provided an opportunity to reinforce the safety of their tap water, even if it didn’t win top honors. Stew Thornley, a retired Minnesota Department of Health employee who emceed the contest, noted that water can appear or taste unappealing while still meeting all safety regulations.

The American Water Works Association, which hosts the event, is a national organization of water utility professionals. The Minnesota branch’s involvement in the contest aligns with broader efforts to educate the public about the reliability of municipal water systems.

The State Fair continues through Labor Day. On September 4, the University of Minnesota will host a water bar in the Ag-Horticulture building, offering attendees additional water samples from municipal, rural, groundwater, and surface water sources.

This year’s contest was supported by the Minnesota Section of the American Water Works Association, which funds MinnPost’s drinking water coverage. The organization has no editorial influence over MinnPost’s reporting.