For the second year in a row, The City of Fargo’s drinking water has won the title of best tasting in North Dakota.
In a blind taste test, attendees at the 95th annual North Dakota Water & Pollution Control Conference sampled drinking water from municipalities around the state and selected Valley City, McVille and Fargo as the top three contenders. A panel of judges made the final decision, with Fargo receiving the top prize. Fargo, which also won in 2022, has been the only city to earn the award in back-to-back years. The City of Fargo previously won back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003.
Water Utility Director Troy Hall said the awards are the result of a team effort by The City of Fargo departments, including Public Works, Engineering, Water Utility, Finance and Administration, among others.
“I think it’s a real credit to the dedication of our water treatment staff,” said Hall, who helped oversee the construction of Fargo’s improved Water Treatment Plant, which became fully operational in 2019. “It’s also a real credit to the City Commission, both past and present, who have supported making improvements to our water infrastructure.”
Fargo is now eligible to compete in the national best tasting water competition in Anaheim, California, in June 2024.
The North Dakota Chapter of the American Water Works Association sponsored the Drinking Water Taste Test during this year’s North Dakota Water & Pollution Control Conference, held October 17-19 in Grand Forks. Past winners include Fargo (2022), McVille (2021), Lisbon (2019), Bismarck (2018), Lisbon (2017), Mandan (2016), Valley City (2015), Fargo (2014), Medina (2013), Mayville (2012), Fargo (2011), Mayville (2010), Valley City (2009), Enderlin (2008), Grand Forks (2007) and Minot (2006). The conference was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Fargo Water Treatment Plant produces an average of about 15 million gallons of drinking water per day, with peak days of over 30 million gallons per day in the summer. Drinking water from the treatment plant serves residents in Fargo, West Fargo and a portion of the Cass Rural Water District. Water to Fargo and regional customers is all the same source water and is treated through the same processes.