Our tap water was up against samples from Albury City Council and Shoalhaven Water in the final of the NSW/ACT Water Taste Test as part of a water industry conference at the Orange PCYC on Wednesday.

The judges looked, sniffed and sipped and then gave the nod for the state's top tasting tap water to the Shoalhaven offering.

Orange made the final after winning through from heats on Tuesday afternoon when the water from 20 cities was on tap but the local chances dribbled away when it came to the big splash.

VIDEO: Taste test final

Water Industry Operations Association chief operations officer Craig Mathisen said there was more to water tasting than taking a quick swig from a glass.

"It's like wine tasting. The appearance, the odour, but ultimately it's a taste test," he said.

"There is a whole range of variables that go into it."

Shoalhaven Water's water treatment operator Luke Elliott said they had been trying to win the award for some time.

"This is our first big win for Shoalhaven Water," he said.

The Shoalhaven sample is now off to the Australian championships in Victoria on October 19.

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