How To Conduct a Water Taste Test CompetitionA water taste competition is a fun and exciting way to draw attention to the intricacies of delivering safe and great-tasting tap water. When held during your annual conference, Drinking Water Week, or some other section event, it can also serve as a newshook to increase media interest in your event or celebration. Drafting the RulesYou should first decide on the rules for your competition. Who is eligible, what are the requirements for participation, how will the samples be judged? Click here for the rules for AWWA's national competition. EligibilityWhen deciding who is eligible for the taste test, there are a few things to keep in mind:
RequirementsYou then must decide what the requirements for participation will be.
Contest JudgingThings to consider when picking your panel:
Event PlanningOnce you have set your contest rules, it is time to start planning the actual event. Check out AWWA's Public Communication Toolkit for a comprehensive general guide for event planning. Below, please find specific items related to planning a water tasting event. Defining Your EventFirst you must decide the purpose of the event. Obviously, the purpose of the contest is to determine the best tasting water. However, do you want your event to be a media event, to be a formal tasting, to be fun and casual or a technical event? Will the event simply be about the water tasting, or will you use it as a platform to discuss other issues? Identifying Your AudienceFor a formal, technical event, you would expect your audience to be members of the water community who have a basic understanding of water taste and odor issues. For a more casual media or community event, you would expect the audience to be filled with journalists, local families, etc. - people with much less technical understanding. Determining your ProgramWhen drafting your program agenda, you should keep in mind your goals and audience - will you include lots of technical information? Or will you provide more explanatory information and gear your presentation to the layman? A few other items to keep in mind for your water tasting event:
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