Best-Tasting Tap Water? Head to Emporia, Kansas
- Steven Hansen
- 16 hours ago
- 2 min read
It's official! The city of Emporia, Kansas, has won the Gold Medal for having the best-tasting tap water in the 2025 Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition.
The prestigious water competition has been held every year since 1991. The two-day event takes place at The Country Inn in Berkeley Springs. The town is famous for its natural thermal waters and has a long history as a spa destination. Even George Washington is known to have enjoyed the waters here.
The Gold Medal given to Emporia, Kansas, is the highest honor bestowed to communities for the taste and quality of their drinking water. The second-place Silver Medal was given to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia (hometown favorite), and the Bronze went to Mission Springs Water District serving Desert Hot Springs, California.
More than 80 competitors from around the world participated in this year’s water tasting competition, including 24 municipalities from the U.S., Canada, and Australia, that entered their city tap water samples in the annual competition. Bottled waters -- still, sparkling, and purified -- were also judged. The 35th annual competition took place February 21-22 in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.
This is the second time the City of Emporia has won the Gold for its drinking water in the competition that is known as the “Academy Awards of Water.”. The first Gold Medal was awarded to the city in the 2013 contest.
Emporia's water is sourced from the Neosho River, a surface water source. Part of the water cleansing process includes adding ozone to kill any bacteria. Ozone, the natural element in the air that creates that refreshing “clean” smell after a heavy thunderstorm, also enhances the taste of water.
The ten water judges for this year’s event included Steve Keith AKA The Food Guy, Pulitzer Prize-winning travel writer Larry Bleiberg, and Bon Appétit Magazine contributor Jennifer Kefer, and other media and travel personalities. The judges were trained by renowned water tasting expert Arthur von Wiesenberger, using guidelines similar to those in a wine tasting -- aroma, aftertaste, clarity, “mouthfeel,” and taste.
Enjoy this quick video tour of Berkeley Springs:
Photos (from top): Envato Elements, Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting.
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