BERKELEY SPRINGS, WV —– Hamilton, Ohio, 2009 defending champion Best US Tap Water topped a pair of Canadian waters to win undisputed Best Tap Water in the World at the 20th annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting. “This U.S. win over Canada makes it even more apt that we’re known as the Olympics of Water,” said Jill Klein Rone, longtime producer of the water tasting. As with last year, judges again commented that Hamilton’s water was “sweet.”

Beaver Falls and Greenwood , British Columbia won silver and bronze respectively. Although both are first time entrants, British Columbia has an almost permanent place in the tasting’s municipal winners circle.

The Canadian – U.S. rivalry was reversed in the purified category when Kittiwake Pure from Newfoundland topped Crystal Mountain Water of Huntsville, Alabama. Hometown water, Berkeley Springs took the bronze.

Although bottled water came literally from all over the globe to compete, the top five medalists were all U.S. waters including two bottling Berkeley Springs water. Judged Best Bottled Water in the World was Ecoviva, Roscommon, MI which also boasted a 100% biodegradable bottle. The silver was won by Eldorado Natural Spring Water, Eldorado Springs, Colorado. International entrants included for the first time water from Brazil and China as well as ones from New Zealand, Macedonia, Italy, Japan, Bosnia and Ecuador. A total of 49 bottled waters were tasted.

Two special awards were given this year to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the water tasting. The Bottled Water Web is honoring Sweet Springs Natural Mountain Water of Gap, WV, winner of four gold medals, a feat that has not yet been matched. The American Water Works Association is presenting a top winner award to Mission Springs Water District of Desert Hot Springs, California for their six medals won over the years. Marilyn McKay, Administrative Officer of Mission Springs, was on hand to accept the award.

More than 200 people watched at the Country Inn in Berkeley Springs on Saturday night as a dozen media judges spent hours tasting more than 125 waters from 24 states and ten foreign countries. There were 44 municipal waters from 12 states and Canada. “We have double the number of cities and towns competing in the tap water division from last year, “ said Klein Rone, “and seven former gold medalists.

Bottled water came literally from all over the globe to compete, including for the first time water from Brazil and China. The Brazilians and Chinese competed against other international waters including those from New Zealand, Macedonia, Italy, Japan and Ecuador as well as long time festival favorite, Bosnia. A total of 49 bottled waters were tasted.

Winning sparkling waters were all international with Dobra Voda of Kratovo, Macedonia taking the gold and previous gold medal winner, Canadian Gold of Marchand, Manitoba coming in second.

Arthur von Wiesenberger, author and founder of BottledWaterWeb.com once again served as the event’s watermaster. “This is the longest running and largest water tasting in the world,” he said. “The grandaddy of them all.” .” Klein Rone was delighted at the crowd and the array of water officials who came from as far away as China and British Columbia to attend the event.

The crowd was interested in the peoples’ choice packaging competition where it was their votes that chose which of the 17 entrants was the most alluring. “This is another record number,” said Klein Rone. The overwhelming favorite was the silvered column of Bling from Los Angeles. “We’re especially pleased with their win since they have our gold medal on the bottle,” said Jeanne Mozier, one of the event founders. Within the winning Bling bottle is previous gold medal water from English Mountain in Tennessee.

Conclusion of the daylong water tasting is the famed “water rush” where the audience is invited to take home hundreds of bottles of water sent as part of the judging. “I spent about nine hours arranging all the waters in a display,” said Mozier. “The crowd spent less than ten minutes making it all disappear. It’s like a Tibetan sand mandala,” she laughed. Most popular among “rushers” this year was the cobalt blue glass bottle of Climax water. The champions of the rush were a couple who travel from New York City every year especially for the water tasting.

The dozen media judges selected by Klein Rone from print, radio and the Web were instructed by von Wiesenberger to look, sniff and taste each water under guidelines like those in a wine tasting. The waters were rated for each attribute including appearance (it should be clear – or slightly opaque for glacial waters), aroma (there should be none), taste (it should taste clean), mouth feel (it should feel light), aftertaste (it should leave you thirsty for more). Waters were tasted in four separate flights over two days.

The 21st annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting is scheduled for Saturday, February 26, 2011. For more information on Berkeley Springs or its water tasting, call 1-800-447-8797 or check online at www.berkeleysprings.com.