Best tasting tap water in Minnesota? Bloomington wins the competition.

The drinks have been poured. The samples have been tasted, and the specialists agree: Bloomington has the best-tasting tap water in the state.

The city took home top honors in September at the annual conference of the Minnesota chapter of the American Water Works Association. The group also hosts competitions where workers race to assemble fire hydrants and water meters, among other tasks.

Bloomington was among 17 cities that provided a sample for the Best in Glass competition this year. Conference participants sampled each city’s water when it was at room temperature, between 68 and 74 degrees Fahrenheit, a range that was chosen to ensure uniform conditions for competition. A panel of taste-testing experts then declared the winner.

“We produce great water because we have great staff,” said Mike Petersen, Bloomington’s assistant utilities superintendent, who noted the city has a team of just over 50 people working to ensure water quality.

Petersen attributed the taste to a lime softening process that removes hardness in the water. The city gets some of its water from six ground wells, which supplied the winning sample. The remainder comes from the city of Minneapolis.

With the state competition over, the city will now prepare to compete in a national competition next year.