Fort Wayne City Utilities Wins Top Prize at International Water Tasting Competition

Municipal water provider takes gold medal for best-tasting water among global entries.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The City of Fort Wayne Utilities has won first place in the municipal water category at the prestigious Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition. This marks the first time Fort Wayne has claimed the top prize, beating out over 100 entries from around the world judged on appearance, aroma, taste, mouth feel, and aftertaste.

Why it matters

The win highlights Fort Wayne's commitment to providing high-quality, great-tasting drinking water to its residents, even as the city faces the challenge of maintaining water quality across its extensive 1,600-mile distribution system. The recognition also underscores the city's water treatment expertise and the hard work of its utilities staff.

The details

Fort Wayne's water treatment process involves adding specific chemicals to soften the water and remove any undesirable tastes or odors, which the judges credited as key factors in the city's winning performance. The city's water quality supervisor, Michele Gerke, said the win was "amazing" given the global competition. Construction superintendent Ben Groeneweg noted that it takes a team effort across engineering, facilities, and plant operations to consistently deliver top-notch water to customers.

  • The Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition took place in February 2026.
  • Fort Wayne City Utilities had placed in the top five in previous years, but 2026 marked the first time the city claimed the gold medal.

The players

Fort Wayne City Utilities

The municipal water provider for the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, which won first place in the municipal water category at the 2026 Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition.

Michele Gerke

The Water Quality Supervisor at the Three Rivers Filtration Plant in Fort Wayne, who expressed amazement at the city's win against global competition.

Ben Groeneweg

The Construction Superintendent at the Three Rivers Filtration Plant in Fort Wayne, who noted the team effort required to maintain water quality across the city's extensive distribution system.

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What they’re saying

“When I found out we won first place, I was like, you're kidding me. Of all the participants from around the country, in the world, we were picked top water. So it was amazing.”

— Michele Gerke, Water Quality Supervisor (wane.com)

“We have certain chemicals that we add that soften the water, and then we have some that take out the taste and odors, which is a big part of our winning this competition.”

— Michele Gerke, Water Quality Supervisor (wane.com)

“When you have 1600 miles of water main, that's thousands and thousands and thousands of gallons out in the system, and to keep that water at the same quality as what it leaves the plant is a big challenge. It requires us to work together with engineering and with facilities and plants to make sure that it all works together.”

— Ben Groeneweg, Construction Superintendent (wane.com)

What’s next

The city plans to celebrate its victory and continue its focus on delivering high-quality, great-tasting water to Fort Wayne residents.

The takeaway

Fort Wayne's win at the prestigious international water tasting competition underscores the city's commitment to water quality and the expertise of its utilities staff, even as they face the challenge of maintaining consistent water standards across a vast distribution network. The recognition serves as a point of civic pride for Fort Wayne.