On August 27, 2024, judges at Kentucky Rural Water Association’s 45th Annual Conference and Exhibition held at the Central Bank Center in Lexington, Kentucky, have found the state's best tasting water! Hardin County Water District No. 1 was named the winner of a statewide competition to identify the tastiest water in Kentucky for 2024. The district, which supplies high-quality drinking water to a population of over 50,000 residents in Hardin and Meade counties, stood out among the entries for its exceptional taste. Water districts, water associations, and municipal utilities from around Kentucky submitted samples of their water, straight from the tap, for this competition.
A distinguished panel of judges, including Alecia Jacobs with the Division of Water, Kaylyn Snow with the National Rural Water Association, Gary Larimore with the Rural Water Financing Agency, Jeffrey Schuhmann with USDA Rural Development, and Chip Wilkins with Houchens Insurance Group, conducted a blind taste test of all the water samples submitted into the competition and the panel selected Hardin County Water District No. 1 as the winner.
Hardin County Water District No. 1 is excited to receive the Best Tasting Water honor from Kentucky Rural Water Association. Winning is a significant achievement for Hardin County Water District No. 1. The district's Water Operations Manager, Chris Gohman, expressed pride in the entire team's dedication to delivering top-quality water to the community. “This award is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our staff. We’re honored to be recognized by the Kentucky Rural Water Association and to join the ranks of past winners who have set the standard for excellence,” Gohman stated.
General Manager Justin Metz stated that “he would like to recognize the team members at their Pirtle Spring Water Treatment Plant for their outstanding hard work and attention to detail in providing high-quality drinking water to the community.” He went on to state, “Hardin County Water District No. 1 is proud to join the previous utilities that have received this distinguished award. Thank you to Kentucky Rural Water Association for their continued support through the years.”
The competition was fierce, with Henry County Water District earning second place and Lewisport Municipal Water Works taking third. As the state winner, Hardin County Water District No. 1 will represent Kentucky in National Rural Water Association’s Great American Water Taste Test at the Rural Water Rally in Washington, D.C. in February 2025. The Rally is a key legislative event for state affiliates of the National Rural Water Association, and the contest is part of the Quality on Tap! campaign, which highlights the high quality, great value, and exceptional taste of America’s public drinking water. Because of the quality of the drinking water from Hardin County Water District No. 1, Kentucky has a great chance of winning the national Best Tasting Water Contest.
