Napier mayor Kirsten Wise said the city has not submitted an entry for this year's competition. Photo / Paul Taylor
Napier mayor Kirsten Wise said the city has not submitted an entry for this year's competition. Photo / Paul Taylor
Napier is hosting a competition in search of New Zealand's best tasting tap water – but has failed to enter.
Due to be announced at the Napier War Memorial Centre tomorrow, , the Ixom 2021 Water Taste Test competition has seen numerous water suppliers from around the country submit samples of their drinking water.
Four water experts will judge the water on qualities including colour, clarity, odour and mouthfeel.
Hosted by the Water Industry Operations Group (WIOG), competition organisers say the event is "in the spirit of good fun" but with "a meaningful undertone".
Napier mayor Kirsten Wise said while pleased to be hosting the 2021 competition, Napier has not submitted an entry this year.
"Napier has not submitted an entry this year, but as we are committed to making a significant investment of $74m on drinking water infrastructure over the next 10 years, it is something we may consider in future," Wise said.
WIOG chairman Nick Hewer-Hewitt said Napier is one of many regions to host the competition over the years, having previously been held in Christchurch, Palmerston North and Queenstown.
He said the competition is a fun way to raise awareness of the quality of tap water and recognise the efforts of local water operators.
"Many of us turn on taps for a drink, to cook and to shower, with little thought as to the complexities involved in operating and maintaining the water infrastructure," he said.
The judges comprise former WIOG chair Mike Monaghan, Villa Maria Estate winemaker Richard Painter, Ixom sales manager Seaton Rolleston and Taumata Arowai principal technical advisor Jim Graham.
When judging, the group will be looking to see if the water is completely translucent, has minimal turbidity, a nice scent and a pleasing taste.
WIOG is a not-for-profit incorporation formed in 2006 by a group of dedicated water and wastewater operations professionals.
Napier residents have taken to social media to share photos of their discoloured tap water. Photo / Supplied
Some Napier residents have taken to social media to share photos of their discoloured tap water across the city.
Napier City Council said discoloured water is the result of a chemical reaction between chlorine and manganese, so finding sources of low manganese water is "essential to our water projects".
Clean-water campaigner and Guardians of the Aquifer spokeswoman Pauline Doyle questioned the concept of the competition.
"It's not about taste. It's about health," she said.
"People who are aware that the chlorine distribution company which sponsors the so-called 'NZ Best Tasting Tap Water' awards will be dismayed at the gullibility of our public leaders who get involved in this charade."
Doyle also said many Napier residents can describe a range of health issues they've experienced since the water supplies were chlorinated in 2017.
