Less is more when it comes to city's water

Congratulations to one of our neighboring towns for having the best-tasting water in the country.

The National Rural Water Association, which is having its national convention in Washington, D.C., brought in taste-testers from the U.S Department of Agriculture, the USDA's Rural Develpment office and the White House's Office of Management and Budget to judge water supplies from 36 small communities.

The winner?

Curtis, Nebraska.

Second place went to Stansbury Park, Utah, and third to Fulton, Missouri.

The secret?

"There's no treatment whatsoever," said Mike Stanzel of the Nebraska Rural Water Association. "It's right out of the ground, right into the tower, and right out of the sink."

Jacki Ponti-Lazaruk said it was what was missing that was the key.

"When they say bouquet, it should have no bouquet," she said.

McCook residents are envious of their neighbor to the north.

Our water comes out of the Republican River Valley, where it's been troubled with high nitrates and other impurities. We tried looking for clean water at the old Army air base, and then in Frontier County, but political and environmental questions, real or imagined, forced us to turn to a multi-stage treatment plant costing $14 million up front, and a million or so a year to operate.

On top of that, chlorine is added for safety once the treatment is completed, giving the final product a chlorinated taste.

Perhaps we can talk Curtis into selling us bottled water ...