The Tennessee Association of Utility Districts (TAUD) recently announced Smithville Water and Sewer the winner of the Region Four “Best Tasting Water Contest” at the Cookeville Golf and Country Club.
 In addition to Smithville Water and Sewer, the other competing utilities from Region Four that submitted samples of their drinking water were Bondecroft Utility District, Byrdstown Water Department, the City of Celina, Crab Orchard Utility District, the City of Crossville, Jamestown Gas and Water, Livingston Utilities, McMinnville Utilities, Red Boiling Springs Water, Smithville Water and Sewer, Warren County Utility District, and West Warren-Viola Utility District.
Cookeville Communications Radio host Lee Wray, Upper Cumberland Development District’s Amanda Mainord and Michael Detwiler with Congressman Diane Black participated as judges for the contest. The judges performed two “taste-offs” to determine Smithville Water and Sewer the winner of the competition. The drinking water samples were judged on their clarity, bouquet, and taste.
TAUD Region Four consists of Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Roane, Smith, Trousdale, Warren and White counties.
TAUD will conduct the Best Tasting Water in Tennessee Contest in each of the association’s 11 regions in the next few months. The winner of each region will participate in a statewide competition at TAUD’s Business of Running A Utility Conference at the Gatlinburg Convention Center on Aug. 9.
The statewide winner will then compete in Washington, D.C. for the Best Tasting Water in America.
The Tennessee Association of Utility Districts is the oldest rural water association in the nation and serves as the Tennessee chapter of the National Rural Water Association.
TAUD serves as a source of training, technical assistance, and advocacy to over 400 water, wastewater, and natural gas utility members within the state.
For more information please visit our website at www.taud.org or contact Beth Hardiman at 615-896-9022.