Judges tasted tap water from all over the world — one American city came out on top

Each year in the small town of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, water enthusiasts from around the world gather for an event like no other: the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting. Now in its 35th year, the event has earned a reputation as the Academy Awards, drawing entries from 19 U.S. states, four Canadian provinces, and eight other countries, reported The Washington Post. The goal is simple: to find the world’s best-tasting tap, bottled, purified, and sparkling water. Hosted at the Country Inn, the event transforms a hotel conference room into a celebration of all things water. Judges, mostly from media and travel industries, are trained by "watermaster" Arthur von Wiesenberger.

A longtime water consultant and author, von Wiesenberger has worked with brands like Evian, Arrowhead and Perrier. He coaches the panel on how to rate water using a detailed system that covers taste, mouthfeel, odor, aftertaste, appearance and overall impression. Still water is served at room temperature to ensure subtle flaws can be detected, while sparkling water is chilled to preserve carbonation. Participants are advised to avoid perfume, coffee, and spicy food before tasting since anything that might interfere with the senses could skew results. But the atmosphere isn’t rigid. Attendees range from first-time judges to long-term fans of the event. Some even dress in gowns or make custom T-shirts to celebrate their return.

"It’s just such a good community," said Lilli Sutton, who returned with friend Alex Hippensteel for their sixth year. The event also draws curious locals and tourists who come to sample water and participate in one of the competition’s quirkiest traditions: the "water rush." At the end of the night, the public is invited to rush to the stage and grab leftover bottles from around the world. This year’s rush was particularly intense. After a countdown, the crowd surged forward, knocking over displays and even breaking some glass. Organizers paused the chaos briefly before resuming with a warning to keep things respectful. The idea behind the tasting began in the 1990s as part of a "Winter Festival of the Waters."

Berkeley Springs has long been known for its mineral waters, once frequented by George Washington and often called "America’s first spa." The festival was launched to capitalize on that legacy and has since grown into the largest and longest-running water-tasting competition in the world. Winners from this year included Emporia, Kansas, which won gold for best municipal tap water. Berkeley Springs itself took home silver. In the bottled still category, Theoni Natural Mineral Water from Karditsa, Greece, claimed the top spot. Wilderness Mountain Water of Virginia won best sparkling, and DrinkMore Water from Gaithersburg, Maryland, took gold for purification.

A public-voted packaging award went to Piney Plains Natural Spring Water from Maryland, which stood out for its rugged aluminum container with a carabiner clip. While major brands like Dasani or Aquafina are rarely seen at the event, smaller producers take pride in their wins, which can be used in marketing and packaging. Clearbrook Waterworks District from Canada, known for not needing to chlorinate its water, has won gold seven times in past years. Longtime attendee Corey Shetler said, "People who don’t come here think it’s silly. But for people who come here, it’s kind of like a celebration."