ALCOA, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Lenoir City Utilities Board was recently named the winner of the Region 2 Best Tasting Water Competition. Sponsored by the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts.

The competition was held at the Alcoa Service Center on Wednesday, March 2. The drinking water samples were judged on their clarity, bouquet and taste.

TAUD Region 2 consists of Blount, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon and Sevier counties. In addition to Lenoir City Utilities Board, the other utilities that submitted samples for the competition were the City of Alcoa, First Utility District of Knox County, Hallsdale Powell Utility District, Knox-Chapman Utility District, Maryville Water Quality Control, Northeast Knox Utility District, South Blount County Utility District, Tellico Area Services System and West Knox Utility District.

Participating as judges for the competition were Robert Peace with Trinity Benefits Advisors, Michael Atchley with TDEC and Neal Denton with the UT Institute of Agriculture.

The winner of each region will participate in a statewide competition at TAUD’s Business of Running a Utility Conference at the Gatlinburg Convention Center on August 11. The statewide winner will then represent Tennessee in the Great American Taste Test held in conjunction with the National Rural Water Association Rally in Washington D.C. in February 2017.