LAKEWOOD - The 2012 Best Tasting Drinking Water contest will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday in the Chautauqua Mall.
Water from municipal drinking water systems in the county will be available for the public to vote.
"This is an important contest because it revolves around National Drinking Water Week, which is an opportunity for us to encourage the public to protect and conserve our drinking water - the most important resource we have," said Christine Schuyler, Chautauqua County commissioner of human services. "Drinking water is all too often taken for granted until it becomes polluted or is not there when we turn on our taps. We use the Water Tasting Contest as a way to promote water stewardship and remind everyone that our everyday actions can impact our streams, rivers, lakes and groundwater, which is the source of everyone's drinking water."
The contest is co-sponsored by the Chautauqua County Health Department, Water Works Association and the Water Quality Task Force. Participants include the villages of Brocton, Fredonia, Mayville and Westfield; the city of Jamestown, the town of Ripley and the hamlet of Frewsburg. The public is encouraged to stop by the mall Friday, sample each water and cast a vote for the "best tasting water" in Chautauqua County.
"Managing public drinking water systems is hard work and requires dedication," Schuyler said. "Water operators and health officials are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to water emergencies such as water main breaks. Our elected officials must also be willing to help by making water-responsible decisions. Many of our municipalities have recently made, or are making significant investments in our water infrastructure, which is crucial to assure they are up to date and delivering the highest quality water possible."
For more information on drinking water or any other services of the Chautauqua County Health Department, call 866-604-6789 or visit www.myhealthcounty.com and click on "Environmental Health."