Canberrans are drinking some of the best water in the country, with a local sample awarded the best tap water for the ACT and New South Wales.

The top drop will now go on to compete for national bragging rights.

Highly-tuned taste testers tried the finest drops from Canberra and New South Wales today, in a blind taste test — similar to a wine tasting.

Swirling, sniffing and sipping the four judges tested three samples from Canberra, Taree and Port Macquarie, the finalists of more than 20 entries at a water industry conference in Canberra.

So what does it take to win the title of best drinking water?

For judge Jarryd Millard it comes down to more than just the taste, or lack thereof.

"There are three factors we look for in water, turbidity, which is the colour and look of the water, the odour of the water and obviously the taste," Mr Millard said.

"I think tasteless is my personal opinion, but I think it also depends on the individual.

"They can be quite distinctive sometimes when you pair three different types of water together."

Bragging rights are 'really cool'

According to the judges, the lack of odour and the taste made the ACT sample stand out. ( ABC News: Diana Hayward )

Canberra's entry will represent the ACT and NSW in a national water war in October.

The winner from that battle will then go on to compete for the title of world's best.

Craig Mathisen from the Water Industry Operators Association of Australia said it could be quite competitive pitting water operators against one another.

"The bragging rights are really cool among the operational staff themselves," he said.

"But it's a really good feather in the cap for the industry, really as a celebration for the work that the operators do every day."

Robert Allen from ACT operator Icon Water — who supplied today's winning sample — said their water had a good chance of taking out the national title.

"Bring it on — I think we have got a pretty good chance to go all the way with this one," he said.

"What makes our water so good is the quality of the catchment water we get, it comes out of the Cotter area, it is crystal clear, it's beautiful water."

It was that clarity that made it a winner for judge Sally Taylor.

"There was two that were clearly a lot better than the third one, but in the end there was one that stood out above the rest," she said.

"It was the lack of odour and the taste that made it stand out … a nice sweet taste and basically no smell — so it was a pleasure to drink."