The best tasting drinking water can be found in Sarasota County. That's according to the results of this year's Best Tasting Drinking Water contest, held by Region X of the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association (FS/AWWA) earlier this month to promote water resources and the importance of safe, clean drinking water. Region X of FS/AWWA represents the four-county area including Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties. Six other public water suppliers within the region competed for the honor of being selected as this year's best tasting drinking water: Charlotte County Utilities, Manatee County Utilities, City of Punta Gorda Utilities, City of North Port Utilities, Englewood Water District and Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority. Judges for this year's contest, held this March in North Port, included Sarasota County Commissioner Alan Maio; Brian Armstrong, executive director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District; Christopher Brantley, ABC 7 news reporter; Terry Cerullo of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's South District office; and Marissa Veith, a student at Haile Middle School in Bradenton. The first week of May is also recognized as National Drinking Water Week by the American Water Works Association.

Sarasota County Government