Winner Of Best Water In Westchester Announced

Westchester’s best-tasting water comes out of faucets in Elmsford, according to an impartial panel of pedestrians who sipped their way through the Westchester County Department of Health’s annual water taste test Tuesday in White Plains. Water from nine of the county's public water suppliers were sampled by 113 people on Martine Avenue.

They then voted for their favorite without knowing where it was from.

This friendly annual competition promotes the excellent quality of Westchester tap water, and highlights the role of the county health department in assuring drinking water quality, according to a county spokeswoman.

“After drinking tap water from around the county today, I can tell you that Westchester water tastes great, and we shouldn’t take this natural resource for granted,” said County Executive George Latimer. “It’s reassuring to know we have professionals working behind the scenes to maintain and assure the high quality of our drinking water.”

The winner will advance to a regional competition, and the regional champion will compete for statewide bragging rights at the Great New York State Fair in Syracuse at the end of the summer.

Experts say a good glass of water should be clean, crisp, clear and cool. The county health department and the water suppliers sample the waters routinely to ensure all quality standards are met. All contest participants meet all water quality standards.

The nine water suppliers who competed were Cortlandt Consolidated Water District; Elmsford Water District; Greenburgh Water District #1; Mount Vernon Water Department; Peekskill Water Department; Suez Water Westchester, Inc.; White Plains Water Supply; Ossining Water Department and Yonkers Water Supply.

In 1974, Congress first enacted the Safe Drinking Water Act to protect public health by regulating public water systems. The federal Environmental Protection Agency sets legal limits for more than 90 contaminants in public drinking water supplies. These limits, as well as water testing schedules and methods that water systems must follow, are enforced in Westchester by the County Health Department. Water systems must routinely sample their water and provide the results to the health department for review. Health Department engineers and sanitarians take their own samples to assure drinking water in Westchester meets all sanitary standards. In cases when the water doesn’t measure up, the health department assures that customers are notified, and that the water is treated or remediation takes place to bring the water up to regulatory standards. The health department also reviews and approves any construction or replacement of tanks, pipes and water mains within the systems.

For more information, contact the Westchester County Department of Health at 914-813-5000.

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