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Issue Date: November 1, 2009
What's the tastiest water?
We asked a "watermaster" how to distinguish the delicious from dreck. It boils down to 4 things.
By Dennis McCafferty
Love your local water?
First, ask your town to enter it in the next Berkeley Springs competition.
Second, fan our Facebook page and tell us why it's great for a chance to win a bottle of last year's winning water from Hamilton, Ohio. facebook.com/usaweekend
See official rules at bottom of this page.
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Can you tell the difference between two different bottled waters -- or even distinguish filtered municipal H20 from a mountain spring supply? If not, then allow expert Arthur von Wiesenberger to educate you. In addition to being an author, founder of bottledwaterweb.com and co-publisher of the Santa Barbara News-Press, he is the designated "watermaster" of the annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition in West Virginia. The international event, set for Feb. 25-28, 2010, is in its 20th year and is considered the Oscars of water competition, with about 100 products entered, both bottled and from the municipal tap. (Go to berkeleysprings.com for more information.)
In a recent chat with USA WEEKEND Magazine, von Wiesenberger explains how -- just like evaluating diamonds according to their cut, clarity, color and carat -- you can assess the quality of your drinking water via four categories:
Appearance
Simply stated: The clearer, the better. With filtered tap water, you want as little green (which comes from algae) and brownish-red (iron) in the glass as possible. To compare waters, pour them into different spotless drinking glasses and look at each one through the side. "If you hold it up to a light, that light should come through as if there's nothing in that glass," von Wiesenberger says.
Aroma
Tap water that isn't well-filtered will have a mildly chemical scent. "It will suggest a chlorine treatment more appropriate for your swimming pool, rather than something that is supposed to pass through your lips," von Wiesenberger says. Other smells may seem metallic if, say, copper pipes are used to transport the water. Bottled waters generally don't have this problem. But if cheaper plastic is used for the packaging, you'll be able to smell it, von Wiesenberger says.
Texture
Official wine tasters take a "sideways" look to evaluate "legs" -- streaks that form on a glass when it's swirled. Von Wiesenberger also tilts the glass when judging water. The difference: He doesn't want to see any legs. "The texture -- or 'mouth feel' -- should be smooth, soft or even slippery," he says.
Taste
Clearly, the ultimate proof of the water's worth is in the taste. There are certain essentials present in a great product. "I like a perfect balance of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, with just a touch of sodium," von Wiesenberger says. "If the water is a sublime mix of these elements, then it will have a clean, refreshing finish that's neither flat nor bland."
USA WEEKEND Water Facebook sweepstakes official rules
We'll choose winners randomly from among people who fan USA WEEKEND on Facebook starting on Friday, Oct. 30, 2009 at 9 a.m. (E.S.T.) through Friday, Nov. 6, at 9 a.m. (E.S.T).
1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR ODDS OF WINNING. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
2. Eligibility. Subject to the additional restrictions below, the USA WEEKEND Water Facebook SWEEPSTAKES (the "Sweepstakes") is open to U.S. residents (excluding Puerto Rico) who are 18 years or older at the time of entry. Employees of USA WEEKEND Magazine ("Sponsor"), Gannett Co., Inc., and each of their respective affiliated companies, and advertising and promotional agencies, and the immediate family members of, and any persons domiciled with, any such employees, are not eligible to enter or to win.
3. How To Enter. The Sweepstakes will begin at on Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, at 9 a.m. (E.S.T.) and end on Friday, Nov. 6, at 9 a.m. (E.S.T). Enter by signing up to follow USA WEEKEND's Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/usaweekend?ref=ts.
4. Winner Selection. One Winner will be selected in a random drawing from among all eligible entrants to be held on or about November 10, 2009.
Prizes and Odds. Grand Prize: One (1) Grand Prize Winner will receive a sampling of winning water.
Odds of winning depend on the number of participants at time of drawing.
5. Winner Notification and Acceptance. Winners will be notified on or about Nov. 6, 2009, by direct message via Facebook. Sponsor will email during regular business hours. Failure to reach winner by Facebook may result in disqualification of winner, forfeiture of his or her interest in all prizes, and selection of a substitute winner from among all remaining eligible followers. Winners may waive their right to receive prizes. Prizes are nonassignable and nontransferable. No substitutions allowed by winner. Prizes and individual components of prize packages are subject to availability and Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value. Winners are solely responsible for reporting and payment of any taxes on prizes. Winners may be required to complete an affidavit of eligibility/liability and publicity release (except where prohibited by law) which must be returned within ten (10) days of date of personal delivery or date of postmark. Failure to sign and return the affidavit or release within ten (10) days, or to comply with any term or condition of these Official Rules, may result in a winner's disqualification, the forfeiture of his or her interest in the prize, and the award of the prize to a substitute winner. Prizes won by minors will be awarded to parent or legal guardian who must sign any affidavit or release required by Sponsor. Except where prohibited, acceptance of any prize constitutes winner's consent to the publication of his or her name, biographical information and likeness in any media for any commercial or promotional purpose, without limitation the Internet, or further compensation. Prizes not won and claimed by eligible winners in accordance with these Official Rules will not be awarded and will remain the property of Sponsor.
6. Participation. By participating, entrants agree to the terms of these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify persons found tampering with or otherwise abusing any aspect of this Sweepstakes as solely determined by Sponsor. In the Event the Sweepstakes is compromised by a virus, non-authorized human intervention, tampering or other causes beyond the reasonable control of Sponsor which corrupts or impairs the administration, security, fairness or proper operation of the Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the Sweepstakes. Should the Sweepstakes be terminated prior to the stated expiration date, Sponsor reserves the right to award prizes based on entries received before the termination date. . Any use of robotic, automatic, macro, programmed, third party or like methods to participate in the Sweepstakes will void any attempted participation effected by such methods and the disqualification of the individual utilizing the same. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
7. Internet/Limitations of Liability. Sponsor, Prize Provider, their affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and all other individuals or entitles involved in the creation, administration or fulfillment of this Sweepstakes, and their respective directors, officers, employee and agents (all of the former collectively referred to as "Sponsor & Others"), are not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information whether caused by website users, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes and assume no responsibility or liability for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communication line failure, typographical or technical error, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to any website(s). Sponsor & Others are not responsible for any injury or damage, whether personal or property, to participants or to any person's computer related to or resulting from participating in this Promotion. IN NO EVENT WILL SPONSOR & OTHERS BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS SWEEPSTAKES OR ACCEPTANCE OF ANY PRIZE.
8. Publicity Rights. Except where prohibited by law, acceptance of any prize constitutes winner's consent to allow Sponsor and /or Sponsor's designee the perpetual right to the publication and use of his/her name, biographical information, photo and/or likeness and statements for promotion, trade, commercial advertising or publicity purposes at any time or times, in all media no known or hereafter discovered, worldwide, including but no limited to on the World Wide Web and Internet, without notice, review or approval and without additional compensation.
9. Release. By participating in this Sweepstakes, each participant releases and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Sponsor & Others from and against any and all costs, claims, damages or any other injury, whether due to negligence or otherwise, to person(s) or property (including without limitation, death or violation of any personal rights, such as violation of right of publicity/privacy, libel or slander), due in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, to participation in the Sweepstakes, or arising out of participation in the Sweepstakes, or the receipt, use or misuse of any Sweepstakes Prize.
10. Construction. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any such provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, these rules shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or unenforceable provision was not contained therein.
11. Sponsor: The USA WEEKEND Water Facebook sweepstakes is sponsored by USA WEEKEND. If you have any questions regarding this Sweepstakes, please contact Dennis McCafferty at dmccaffe@usaweekend.com.
12. Prize Provider: City of Hamilton, Ohio
USA WEEKEND Water sweepstakes Official Rules may not be re-published or re-printed in whole or in part without the express prior written consent of USA WEEKEND.
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