Revealed: The Adelaide suburb with the best-tasting tap water
Think South Australian tap water tastes bad? One Adelaide suburb was today named as having the most-delicious H20 in the state.
The Happy Valley Water Treatment Plant has taken out top honours in the IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water in SA competition for the second time, having previously won a decade ago.
Happy Valley will go on to compete with winners from the other states in the national competition later today.
Water suppliers from across SA were invited to submit a sample of their tap water, with members of the public also encouraged to cast their vote for the finest-tasting on tap.
In a first for SA, the state is hosting the national competition – bringing together state champions from across the country for a taste-off.
This will determine which state has the best-tasting tap water in Australia.
The state and territory representatives competing for the 2026 IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia are:
- NSW/ACT – Rous County Council – Nightcap Water Treatment Plant
- Queensland – Isaac Regional Council – Clermont
- Tasmania – TasWater – Rocky Creek, South Region
- South Australia – SA Water – Happy Valley
- Victoria – Coliban Water – Bendigo
- Western Australia – Water Corporation – Capel Range Road South
“This competition highlights the dedication and commitment of the operations staff and their water companies that work tirelessly – often in challenging conditions – to provide their communities with safe, high-quality drinking water every day,” said Water Industry Operations Association of Australia CEO Dean Barnett.
“It also shines a spotlight on the vital behind-the-scenes work of this discreet industry, which supports communities around the clock.”
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Previous winners of the IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water in South Australia are:
- 2025 Morgan
- 2024 Olympic Dam Desal Plant
- 2023 Olympic Dam Desal Plant
- 2022 Murray Bridge
- 2021 Anstey Hill
- 2020 Woolpunda
- 2019 Swan Reach
- 2018 Woolpunda
- 2017 Morgan
- 2016 Happy Valley
Previous winners of the IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia are:
- 2025 Northern Territory – Power and Water – Katherine water treatment plant
- 2024 Queensland – Isaac Regional Council – Glenden Scheme water treatment plant
- 2023 Tasmania – TasWater – Fern Tree water treatment plant
- 2022 Victoria – Melbourne Water – Cresswell water treatment plant
- 2021 NSW – Richmond Valley Council – Casino water treatment plant
- 2020 Tasmania – TasWater / TRILITY – Rossarden water treatment plant
- 2019 Queensland – Mackay Regional Council – Marian water treatment plant
- 2018 Victoria – Wannon Water – Hamilton water treatment plant
- 2017 Queensland – Toowoomba Regional Council – Mt Kynoch water treatment plant
- 2016 Tasmania – TasWater – Barrington water treatment plant
- 2015 Victoria – Goulburn Valley Water – Marysville water treatment plant
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