LULING — A sample of water taken from the West Bank of St. Charles Parish was named the second best tasting water in the state at the Louisiana Conference on Water Supply and Sewage on March 15 in Shreveport.

A sample taken from the East Bank of the parish was named as second best tasting in the South Central Region the previous week.

“We have won this award several times in the past, and it’s an honor to compete annually and continue to place as high as we do,” St. Charles Parish Waterworks Director Robbie Brou said.

Before competing in the statewide water taste contest, a parish must win at the regional level. St. Charles Parish won the best tasting water for the South Central Region that included St. John, St. Mary, Assumption, St. James, Lafourche and Terrebonne.

The purpose of the Louisiana Conference on Water Supply, Sewerage and Industrial Wastes is to promote the professionalism of, to provide for training of and to provide a forum for the exchange of information among everyone in the water and wastewater fields.

The conference strives to promote and support mandatory certification of the water and wastewater operator, to improve the overall quality of life for the citizens of Louisiana through safe drinking water and protection of the environment.