Best Tasting Water award


The City of Yakima successfully defended its “Best Tasting Water” title as it recently took first place in the 2024 Central Washington Best Tasting Water contest.

“Winning this award two years in a row is a direct reflection of the hard work and dedication our water treatment and distribution employees – as with all of our Water/Irrigation Division employees – demonstrate every day,” said Water/Irrigation Manager Mike Shane. “They work hard to make sure we provide safe, high-quality and great tasting drinking water to our customers.”

Entries in the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Central Washington Subsection Best Tasting Water competition were submitted by the cities of Yakima, Walla Walla, Richland, Pasco, Kennewick, as well as the Nob Hill Water Association.

The City of Yakima’s water quality now advances to the AWWA Section contest in Spokane, May 1-3.

The Section competition winner will compete at the national AWWA conference June 10-13 in Anaheim, CA.

The City of Yakima is no stranger to drinking water awards.

Besides winning the 2023 and 2024 Central Washington “Best Tasting Water” competition, the city’s Water Treatment Plant has received the Gold Certificate of Achievement. The certificate is presented by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Office of Drinking Water for meeting the high standards of DOH’s Treatment Optimization Program for 10 continuous years.

Click Water Treatment & Water Quality | Water and Irrigation (yakimawa.gov) for more about the City of Yakima’s water system.