GREAT FALLS — If you think your local water tastes good, it may have done well at the Montana Rural Water Systems 2025 best tasting water awards.
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Kristi Kline has been working with Montana water for over forty years.
Kline, the source water protection specialist said, “I've been in the water business for a long time,” and is proud of the water Montana has to offer.
Kline said, “We are a mountain state. We have a lot of great water, across the state.”
This is why in 2021 she helped put together the first best tasting water competition in the state.
Kline said, “It is about all of the, you know, elevating the water communities in Montana.”
Three judges rank the water in three categories: Clarity, odor, and taste. The top scorers then go on to three different judges, and the first place winner goes to a national competition.
This year, Choteau won first place, Great Falls won second place, and Philipsburg won third.
Cody Mcrady, site manager for the Great Falls water plant said, “Well, I mean the competition’s really a lot of fun.”
Mcrady is proud of his team for taking home second place, which is higher than Great Falls has scored in recent years.
Mcrady said, “It’s always nice to have the team here at the sight validated for the hard work that they do, and we’re excited about how we came out.”
Great Falls plans on staying the course to score well again next year.
Mcrady said, “Our priority is to produce safe, clean drinking water for the City of Great Falls, and hopefully that turns out for us next year when we sample.”
