Does Evanston Have The Tastiest Water?

Evanston residents drink Lake Michigan water—just like the residents of Chicago, Schaumburg, and other area municipalities. 

But does Evanston water just test better? 

Perhaps. When Chicago Public Radio employees did a blind taste test of six water samples, the Skokie water, which is supplied by Evanston, was the hands-down winner. It beat out samples from a Lake Zurich aquifer, Dasani bottled water, Lake Michigan water from Lake View, Lake Michigan water from Schaumburg and well water from Hawthorn Woods. 

Evanston, like Chicago, sells Lake Michigan water to several municipalities in the area. So what could explain the difference in taste? 

Kevin Lookis, superintendent of water production, told WBEZ that there was no virtually no difference between the way the city of Chicago and the city of Evanston treated water.

The only thing that could explain the difference in taste, is how the pipes from the building where the water was drawn interact with the flavor of the water, he told WBEZ. 

Click here to watch video of the taste test, or read the story on WBEZ’s website.