SCMA 2018 Best Tasting Membrane Water Competition

Click image above to view: Best Tasting Membrane Water Submission Instructions and Application (PDF) See below for online application form

SCMA 2018 Best Tasting Water Competition will be held during the 2018 SCMA Annual Conference at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter in San Antonio, TX.

Who can participate:

Any utility in the SCMA region (Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas) that uses membrane treatment in the production of its drinking water is invited to submit a sample for judging. Facilities that do not use membranes in some stage of drinking water production are not eligible to enter.

How to enter:

Please submit a completed entry form though the online process or email the completed form (links below) to SCMA by August 13, 2018, to sign up to participate in the contest. You can either drop off your sample on the day of the contest, or have your sample shipped to the hotel ahead of time. If you plan to drop off your sample, please submit your entry to the SCMA Staff at conference registration no later than 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 22, 2018 (no exceptions). If you wish to ship your sample, please contact SCMA staff for instructions at support@scmembrane.org or 512-617-6529.

Instructions for sample:

Please follow the instruction below when preparing your water sample:

• Collect sample from water system no more than 48 hours prior to the competition on 8/23/18
• Place sample in a sealed 1 quart glass container
• Store and maintain sample at a temperature between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit
• Do not chill the water sample or the sample will be disqualified
• Do not label the sample with your utility name or any other identifying marks

Only samples submitted in the correct sealed 1 quart glass container will be considered – no exceptions. SCMA staff will track samples as they are turned in and assign anonymous labels to each sample. The public water system must comply with all Maximum Contaminant Levels and Treatment Technique requirements, and must not have any potable water quality violations from a regulatory agency in 2017 or 2018, or be under regulatory consent decree or order for its potable water quality.

 Judging:

For each entry, individual samples will be prepared. Each judge will be given one sample of each entry.

The judges will evaluate the sample on the following scale:

• Taste 1-5 (1 being poor and 5 being best)
• Odor 1-5 (1 being poor and 5 being best)
• Color 1-5 (1 being poor and 5 being best)
• Clarity 1-5 (1 being poor and 5 being best)
• Mouthfeel 1-5 (1 being poor and 5 being best)
• Aftertaste 1-5 (1 being poor and 5 being best)
• Following Submission Instructions (1 being poor and 5 being best)

The sample with the highest cumulative score will be given the title of “2018 Best Tasting Membrane Water” The runner up will also be recognized. This award is sponsored by DCS Engineering LLC.

Questions? Contact SCMA at 512-617-6529 or email support@scmembrane.org.