Instead of rushing to the nearest vending machine for soda, Kent State students can consider using the drinking fountain more often between classes.

Kent water ranked fifth tastiest in the world in the 2011 Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition.

John Cordier, chief operator of the Kent Water Treatment Plant, said Kent has been participating in the competition since 1995. He said in past years Kent received first, second, third and fifth place in the competition.

“We take pride in the water in Kent,” Cordier said. “People here can just go to the tap to get some of the best-tasting water for free.”

Cordier said one of the reasons Kent’s water tends to be better than most is because the city uses a good well field for the water source, which makes the water more consistent.

“You don’t get a lot of aftertaste when you drink the water in Kent,” Cordier said. “Because it’s not lake water, there aren’t any odor problems.”

Jill Klein Rone, producer of the competition, said it began in 1990 to improve tourism and the economy in the Berkeley Springs, W.Va area. She said it is the largest and longest-running water contest in the world.

Klein Rone said the competition recognizes outstanding municipal water from around the world.

“So many of us are lucky that we can turn on a faucet to get clean, safe drinking water,” Klein Rone said. “We need to be aware of how valuable this precious natural resource is, and people should try to protect it every day.”

Logan Tiller, freshman exercise science major, said he was surprised to find that Kent’s water ranked well in the water-tasting competition.

“It’s just a very random thing for Kent to have participated in a water-tasting competition,” Tiller said. “I drink the water, but I never noticed any difference in Kent’s water from other water.”

Kent resident Becky Allen, who lives in Sunrise Apartments, said she would consider drinking more tap water now.

“I think it’s cool that Kent ranked high in that competition,” Allen said. “I might start drinking tap water more than the filtered water in my apartment.”

Contact Megan Wilkinson at [email protected]