On Wednesday, July 24, the Sweetwater Authority (Authority) Governing Board was presented with the Southwest Membrane Operators Association (SWMOA) Best Tasting Membrane Water in the Southwest Region Award. The award recognizes the Authority’s Richard A. Reynolds Desalination Facility as the winner of the Best Tasting Membrane Water Competition held during the SWMOA Annual Symposium in June.
The winning water sample was taken directly from the Richard A. Reynolds Desalination Facility and judged on the following criteria: taste, odor, color, clarity, mouthfeel, and aftertaste. Of the 5 participants in the competition, representing water agencies from the Southwest region of the country, the Authority received the highest cumulative score.
The Richard A. Reynolds Desalination Facility is a state-of-the-art groundwater desalination facility designed to use reverse-osmosis membrane treatment to remove dissolved salts and microscopic particles, such as bacteria and other contaminants which can be found in groundwater. The facility can produce up to 10 million gallons of drinking water per day, enough for approximately 18,000 families, and provides Authority customers with about one-third of their annual water supply.
The facility was previously honored with the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Project of the Year award, as well as the South County Economic Development Council’s Corky McMillin/Best of South County Award.