West Hempstead is Nassau’s ‘Best Tasting Water’

The West Hempstead Water District has earned first place in the 25th annual “Best Tasting Water in Nassau County” competition — beating out 20 other water districts countywide, district officials said.

The district was declared the winner on May 9 after a nearly weeklong contest, held on the campus of Farmingdale State College. The event, sponsored by the Long Island Water Conference, allowed visitors to sample drinking water from the 21 districts in a blind taste test, district officials said.

“It’s a friendly competition and a wonderful way to promote the quality and value of water here on Long Island,” West Hempstead Superintendent Robert P. York said in a statement. “Everyone at the district is very proud to be selected Nassau’s champion.”

The water district serves some 8,000 customers from 11 wells, pumping more than 11,000,000 gallons on average per day. The district maintains more than 120 miles of water mains, officials said.

“Our people work hard to deliver the best tasting water without interruption,” said John Sparacio, chairman of the district’s board of commissioners. “It’s also reassuring to know that West Hempstead customers can turn a tap and get the county’s best tasting water at a fraction of the cost of bottled water. In fact, our water is below the national average cost.”