Winter Springs Drinking Water Wins Best Taste in Central Florida
Winter Springs drinking water won first place and People’s Choice for best taste in Central Florida. City Manager Kevin Sweet confirmed the 2026 Region III awards.
Winter Springs drinking water took first place and the People’s Choice award for best tasting water in Central Florida.
City Manager Kevin Sweet confirmed it in a September 15 email to Commissioner Victoria Bruce. The awards come from the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association, Region III. The contest is billed as Best Tasting Drinking Water in Central Florida 2026.
The taste test was September 9 at Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando. Judges score samples blind on taste, odor, color, and clarity. People’s Choice is a separate vote from the people in the room. Winter Springs won both.
Region III covers six counties: Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia. FSAWWA does not publish a ranked list of every utility that entered. Sweet wrote that they provide the recognition, not a results sheet.
The city is working with the association on a formal presentation at the Monday, October 12 Commission meeting.
Winter Springs draws from the Floridan Aquifer and treats the water at city plants that serve more than 14,800 potable meters. Annual water quality reports show the system meets federal and state standards. This contest is not a lab test for contaminants. It is a taste contest. People drank the samples and picked Winter Springs.
That is the water coming out of the tap this year.
Winter Springs takes first place at the 2026 FSAWWA Region III Best Tasting Drinking Water contest at Harry P. Leu Gardens.
