Lethbridge has the 'best tasting water' out of 9 Western Canadian communities

Lethbridge officials say its high quality drinking water can be attributed to its dedicated water treatment staff, who conduct as many as 32,000 tests annually. (Pexels)

Lethbridge has taken the top prize for water quality, beating Calgary, Edmonton and Jasper for the honour.

The award, which was given out at the American Water Works Association's Western Canadian conference in September, recognizes municipalities for their water treatment and testing protocols.

Lethbridge's water was graded higher than Jasper and St. Paul, Alta., as well as EPCOR's Edmonton water treatment plant and the City of Calgary.

Officials say the team behind the city's water treatment facility should be given a lot of credit for the recognition.

"Our operational staff work diligently 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to ensure excellent drinking water quality for our residents and other customers," said Tyler Bennett, a water and waste water treatment engineer with the City of Lethbridge.

"We take pride in our work, and are grateful for the opportunity to provide this service to the community."

Water treatment staff conduct tests several times per day, amounting to approximately 32,000 tests per year.

Other locations included in the taste test were the Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17 – Sandy Lake, Prince Albert, Sask., Selkirk, Man. and the Buffalo Pound water treatment plant in Stony Beach, Sask.