Gympie’s award-winning tap water faces major change amid controversy

The Gympie region's tap water is vying for a prestigious taste award, just weeks before council controversially removes the fluoride that helped make it Queensland's best.

A sample of Gympie’s tap water is in the running for the best tasting across Queensland and New South Wales, only weeks before the region’s council makes a major controversial change to it. Photo Brett Wortman / Sunshine Coast Daily

A sample of Gympie’s tap water is in the running for the best tasting town water across Queensland and New South Wales, only weeks before the region’s council makes a controversial change to it.

Water from Cooloola Cove’s treatment plant is going head to head with a sample from a water treatment plant at Casino in New South Wales’ Richmond Valley, south and west of Lismore, in the annual Water of Origin competition for 2025.

The Gympie region’s sample emerged victorious as the best tasting across all of Queensland for the right to vie for the title.

The winner will claim bragging rights across the two states for the next year.

Judges test the samples using a blind taste test, and the samples are evaluated using the water tasting wheel which highlights key attributes such as colour, clarity, odour and taste in the same vein as wine tasting.

Despite the success, the council’s state-winning formula — which has included fluoride for the past 15 years — will change that formula as of next month, following its highly controversial decision to end its water fluoridation program.

Water from Cooloola Cove’s treatment plant is going head to head with a sample from a water treatment plant at Casino in New South Wales’ Richmond Valley, south and west of Lismore, in the annual Water of Origin competition for 2025.

The Cooloola Cove water treatment plant was one of two in the region to have fluoride added in.

The fluoridation program will end on November 17, 2025.

The council decision, passed five-votes-to-three in the wake of a 650-signature strong petition against fluoridation and a strong campaign by the anti-fluoride brigade, sparked harsh criticism from peak health bodies and dental professionals, including the Queensland branches of the Australian Dental Association and the Australian Medical Association.

The council also came under fire for making such a big decision without any real consultation, claiming consultation would have cost between $20,000 and $300,000.