Victoria’s best tasting tap water for 2026 crowned
Coliban Water’s Bendigo Water Treatment Plant has been named Victoria’s best tasting tap water for 2026.
The winner was announced at the IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water competition during the WIOA Conference in Bendigo.
The winning entry secured a place in the national finals later this year, edging out Barwon Water’s Colac Water Treatment Plant and Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water’s Hopetoun facility.
Water utilities from across Victoria submitted samples of their drinking water, each reflecting the performance of treatment processes, network management and operational discipline. While the competition carries a light-hearted edge, it also provides a meaningful benchmark for water quality across the state.
Judging took place at the Bendigo Showgrounds as part of the annual Water Industry Operations Association of Australia (WIOA) conference, where entries were assessed on clarity, odour and taste through a blind testing process.
For Coliban Water, the recognition highlights the consistency of its treatment processes and the strength of its operational teams.
“This is recognition for the amazing effort that the team and our contracting partners, Veolia and ServiceStream, have put into producing and providing great-tasting tap water for our community,” said Angus Bowles, Manager of Catchment and Treatment Operations at Coliban Water.
A longstanding feature of the WIOA conference, the IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water competition offers a rare opportunity to spotlight an essential service that is often taken for granted.
Behind each entry is a balance of source water management, treatment optimisation and distribution system performance, factors that operators manage daily to maintain compliance and deliver high-quality drinking water.
The competition brings together utilities of all sizes, offering a snapshot of the work undertaken behind the scenes to supply communities with safe and reliable water.
“This competition highlights the dedication and commitment of the operations staff and their water companies that work tirelessly, often in challenging conditions, to provide their communities with safe, high-quality drinking water every day,” said Dean Barnett, WIOA CEO.
“It also shines a spotlight on the vital behind-the-scenes work of this discreet industry, which supports communities around the clock.”
While safety and regulatory compliance remain the primary drivers of water treatment, taste also plays an important role in building public confidence. Competitions such as this reinforce the connection between operational excellence and customer experience.
Coliban Water will now represent Victoria at the Australian Best Tasting Tap Water competition later this year.
The 2026 Victorian Water Industry Operations Conference and Exhibition took place from March 25 to 26 in Bendigo, bringing together water professionals from across Victoria and beyond to network and reconnect, with hundreds of exhibitors spanning pumps, motors, instrumentation and water treatment solutions.
Learn more about the event here.
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