Tap water from the Northern Rivers has been named the third best in Australia, after going head to head with the nation’s top drops in a blind taste test in Adelaide.
Rous County Council’s Nightcap Water Treatment Plant represented NSW and the ACT at the national final of the 2026 IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water competition last week. Samples were blind-tested on colour, clarity, odour, and taste, with attendees at the event voting for their favourite.
Isaac Regional Council’s Clermont Water Treatment Plant in Queensland took first place, followed by TasWater’s Rocky Creek plant in Tasmania in second and Rous in third.
That put the Northern Rivers drop ahead of state winners from Victoria, Western Australia, and South Australia.
Rous qualified for the national competition after being named the best-tasting tap water provider in NSW and the ACT at the Water Industry Operations Association of Australia (WIOA) NSW Conference in Newcastle earlier in September.
“This recognition is a credit to our engineers, experts, skilled operators, and everyone at Rous working behind the scenes,” said Rous Group Manager Operations Adam Nesbitt.
Rous’s winning water begins at Rocky Creek Dam in the Nightcap Range and is treated at the nearby Nightcap Water Treatment Plant.
Mr Nesbitt said the water’s quality came down to a multiple barrier approach that protects the supply from the dam through the treatment plant, which uses conventional processes alongside advanced ozone and activated carbon treatment.
Rous supplies water to most of the Ballina, Byron, Lismore, and Richmond Valley local government areas, serving about 110,000 people. Its network includes more than 400 kilometres of pipelines.
It is not the first time Rous has performed well in a water taste test. The council previously won the NSW and ACT title in 2023 with water from the same treatment plant and went on to beat Queensland in the 2024 Water of Origin competition.
“Awards like this demonstrate the exceptional work being undertaken by Rous to supply safe, reliable and great-tasting drinking water to our constituent councils and local communities,” said Rous General Manager Phillip Rudd.
This time, Queensland had the last laugh.
Clermont now holds the national title for the next 12 months and has the chance to represent Australia at the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition in West Virginia in February 2027.
It is the second national win for Central Queensland’s Isaac Regional Council, which also took the Australian title in 2024 with water from its Glenden Scheme treatment plant.
“Congratulations to Isaac Regional Council on their prestigious win,” said WIOA Chief Executive Officer Dean Barnett.
“I’d also like to acknowledge all the water providers and operators that work 24/7 to serve their communities.”
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