Next time you pour a glass of water in New Brunswick’s capital, take a moment to appreciate the taste. A panel of expert judges recently named Fredericton’s tap water the best in North America for its taste, aroma, and consistency. The American Water Works Association awarded this honor at its annual conference in June, where professionally trained flavor profilers chose Fredericton over 32 other regional winners, according to Global News.

The Groundwater Advantage

Fredericton draws about 20 million liters of water every day from 11 production wells. These wells tap into an aquifer located directly beneath the downtown core. Trent Brewer, manager of H2O Fredericton, credits this natural filtration process for the winning taste.

“We’re a groundwater source, so all of our water comes from wells, which are naturally filtered through the downtown aquifer from the St. John River down to our wells,” Brewer said.

Kerry MacQuarrie, a civil engineering professor at UNB Fredericton, agrees that the groundwater source provides a competitive edge. He points to the dissolved mineral content as the primary driver of the water’s flavor profile.

Treatment and Distribution

While the water is safe to drink straight from the ground, the city puts it through a rigorous treatment process at two local plants. Operators add chlorine to remove manganese and disinfect the supply, while lime adjusts the pH levels and removes other solids.

“Once it goes through the treatment, it goes into reaction vessels where it sort of mixes around,” water treatment plant operator Bennett Moss explained. “It goes through filters. That’s where all the solids are sort of pulled out.”

From the plant, the water travels through 440 kilometers of water mains to reach approximately 18,500 customers.

Safety and Future Investments

Taste reflects overall water quality and safety. To ensure the water meets Canadian drinking water guidelines, the city samples water weekly at about 50 different locations and sends it to an independent lab for testing.

Fredericton invests heavily in this infrastructure. The city spends roughly 30 million dollars annually on operating and capital work for its water and sewer systems. As the population grows, officials plan to add two more production wells to meet demand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who decided Fredericton has the best tap water?

The American Water Works Association awarded the title after a team of professionally trained flavor profilers judged 32 regional winners.

Where does Fredericton get its tap water?

The city draws its water from 11 production wells that tap into a groundwater aquifer beneath the downtown area.

How much water does the city use daily?

Fredericton processes and distributes about 20 million liters of water every day.

Is the water treated before it reaches homes?

Yes. The city treats the water with chlorine and lime to remove minerals like manganese, adjust the pH, and disinfect the supply before filtering out solids.