Caribou Claims Title for Best-Tasting Water in Maine

For the second year in a row, an Aroostook County municipality has won the award for the best-tasting tap water in Maine.

In a statewide competition, Caribou earned the award for 2016, after neighboring Limestone won the honors last year.

The Maine Rural Water Association’s 30th annual Best Tasting Water contest was held Thursday at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.

Twenty-four water samples–16 in the "disinfected" category and 6 in the "non-disinfected" category– were submitted by drinking water suppliers from around the state. The Caribou Utility District won in the disinfected water division, while Point Sebago was deemed to have the best municipal water for the "non-disinfected" side.

After a final round of tasting, the three-judge panel chose the Caribou Utilities District as the 2016 overall winner.

USDA Rural Development Maine State Director Virginia Manuel was one of this year’s judges, along with retired Bangor police Lt. Paul Edwards and WABI-TV meteorologist Todd Simcox.

As the overall winner in Maine, Caribou will get to represent the state in the National Rural Water Association’s Rural Water Rally in Washington, D.C. in February.

This was the first year Caribou entered the contest.