Drum Roll, Please; Award For Best-Tasting Water Goes To ...

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL -- Who has the best tasting drinking water in west central Florida?

According to the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association, the answer is Pasco County Utilities.

The association presented the 2018 Region IV Best Tasting Drinking Water Award to Pasco’s Lake Jovita Water System.

Operations manager Gerald Runge and team member James Sainsbury were on hand to accept the trophy and the kudos.

“This is a sweet victory,” said Runge. “The Pasco County Utilities Operations & Management team works very hard to provide great-tasting water throughout Pasco County.”

Each year, utility companies throughout Florida's 12 regions submit room temperature water samples for judges to taste-test. The judges rate the water based on taste, odor, color and clarity.

Region IV consists of seven counties: Pasco, Citrus, Hernando, Polk, Hillsborough, Pinellas and Sumter.

Pasco County Utilities has won the award three times. The county also received the coveted trophy in 2004 and 2006 for the Autumn Oaks Water System.

Past winners include the City of Wildwood, Citrus County and Hernando County. Pasco County is looking forward to hosting the regional competition in 2019.

Runge hopes this is the beginning of a winning streak for Pasco County.

"We'll be back next year to defend it," he said.

Video via SWFWMD