Hits: 44

*In the attached photo are the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place water districts from left to right as follows – City of White Plains, City of Mount Vernon & Village of Scarsdale.

WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. May 7, 2014:

The people’s choice for best-tasting water in Westchester goes to the City of White Plains. The Westchester County Department of Health held its annual water tasting contest Tuesday in White Plains, where 138 participants sampled water from 10 of the county’s water suppliers and gave bragging rights to White Plains.

The blind taste test was held in recognition of National Drinking Water Week outside the Michaelian Office Building on Martine Avenue from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The City of White Plains, labeled A in the blind taste test, received 80 points. The runner-up was the City of Mount Vernon, labeled D, with 72 points. Village of Scarsdale, labeled C, came in third, with 64 points.

“We’re all winners, because Westchester’s drinking water is excellent,” said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. “Thank you to the professionals who work to assure the water not only tastes good, but is good for you.”

The contest was held to promote the excellent quality of Westchester tap water and to highlight the role of the county health department in assuring drinking water quality.

The experts say a good glass of water should be clean, crisp, clear and cool. The county’s health department samples the waters routinely, and they meet all quality standards.

The 10 participating water suppliers in this year’s competition were: Bedford Consolidated Water District, Village of Elmsford, Greenburgh Consolidated Water District #1, Village of Ossining, City of Peekskill, Village of Scarsdale, United Water New Rochelle, City of White Plains, City of Yonkers and the City of Mount Vernon.

The participants were labeled as follows in the blind taste test today:

B – Bedford Consolidated Water District

G – Village of Elmsford

I – Greenburgh Consolidated Water District #1

D – City of Mount Vernon

H – Village of Ossining

F – City of Peekskill

C – Village of Scarsdale

E – United Water New Rochelle

A – City of White Plains

J – City of Yonkers

In past years, the winners were: 2013 – Mount Vernon 2012 – Cortlandt Consolidated; 2011 – United Water New Rochelle; 2010 – Ossining; 2009 – Yonkers; 2008 – Croton on Hudson; 2007 – Yonkers; 2006 – Croton on Hudson; 2005 – United Water New Rochelle; 2004 – Yonkers; 2003 – Yonkers.

For more information about the contest or other water quality initiatives, contact the Westchester County Department of Health at (914) 813-5000, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wchealthdept, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wchealthdept or visit www.westchestergov.com/health