Press Releases

Contact: Public Relations Department
Suffolk County Water Authority
PO Box 37
Oakdale NY 11769
(631) 563-0296

May 05, 1999
SCWA Water Again Chosen As Best Tasting

Volunteers who participated in the Long Island Water Conference's 1999 Drinking Water Taste Contest on May 3 and 4 at the Walt Whitman Mall picked Suffolk County Water Authority tap water as the best tasting in the county.

By their votes for water samples marked only by letters of the alphabet, this year's volunteer judges came to the same conclusion as those who participated in 1997 at the Smith Haven Mall, where the contest was formerly held, giving the SCWA first place in two out of the last three years. The SCWA samples, known to the tasters as "A", made a good enough impression to receive the highest number of votes even after the judges went on to "B" from South Huntington, "C" from Greenlawn and "D" from Dix Hills.

Approximately 160 shoppers and others who visited the Huntington mall on Monday and Tuesday participated in the contest, held annually in conjunction with the observance of the first full week in May as National Drinking Water Week. Conference representatives and water professionals were on hand both days to provide samples of their water, collect the votes, and answer questions. They were assisted on Monday by members of the Volunteer Environmental Educators Program (VEEP), a program operated by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS) which recruits and trains interested citizens to present water resource programs.

SCWA Chairman and CEO Michael LoGrande said, "Contests like this one serve as a reminder that we're fortunate on Long Island to have generally good tasting water. Even more importantly, the public should know that the water the SCWA delivers is pure and safe. We're pleased to take credit on both counts."

This year's Water Week activities also include a drinking water taste contest for water suppliers in Nassau County, the Long Island Groundwater Research Institute's Poster Contest, the Authority's Slogan Contest and an Essay Contest, which is co-sponsored by the Authority and SCDHS. Additional information may be obtained under the Special Programs of our website or by calling 563-0296.

The Suffolk County Water Authority is a public benefit corporation operating by virtue of the Public Authorities Law of the State of New York. Serving about 80% of Suffolk's residents, it operates without taxing power on a non-profit basis.