What makes a great glass of water? A pristine source, plus careful testing and high-tech filtration and treatment.
by Michael Park, for Rodale's Organic Life
New York City
More than 1 billion daily gallons of sweet, mineral-rich water travels over 125 miles from carefully guarded Catskill Mountains reservoirs.
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Pulled from aquifers and treated with chlorine, fluoride, and phosphate, the silky, clean sip topped the American Water Works Association (AWWA) 2010 taste test.
Chicago
Moderately hard Lake Michigan water is filtered through carbon and sand for a clean-tasting drink.
Denver
Fed by Rocky Mountains snowmelt, this water's brisk taste is mineral and grassy.
Manchester, New Hampshire
The soft Lake Massabesic water, purified with ozone, has earned kudos from the Partnership for Safe Water for its quality.
Fort Collins, Colorado
Mountain snowmelt and the Cache La Poudre River are coal-filtered and chlorine-treated for a crisp, fresh sip.
Greenville, South Carolina
This Southern city's smooth-tasting supply hails from a pristine, 26,000-acre area of the Blue Ridge foothills.
Silverdale, Washington
The deep Green Mountain aquifer is so pure that the rainwater-fresh H2O can be consumed untreated.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Pumped from six manmade lakes, then filtered and treated with ozone, this neutral-tasting stuff won the AWWA contest in 2007 and 2013.
Louisville, Kentucky
Sand and gravel filtration and hundreds of daily tests ensure that even water from the not-so-untouched Ohio River flows from taps sweet and clean.
Go to water.epa.gov/drink/local for more information on your local taps.
This article was originally published on Rodale's Organic Life.
More from Rodale's Organic Life: