Water pros vie for top honors at ACE26

Loud cheers and celebratory roars reverberated through the Exhibit Hall as water pros vied for the top spots in several events at the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE26) in Washington, D.C. this week.

Returning champions and new contenders competed for 2026 titles and bragging rights for their sections in several crowd-pleasing traditions at ACE.

The Turbidity Chasers from the Indiana Section defended their title as Top Ops champions.

Craig Dalton from the South Carolina Section defended his title in the Meter Challenge, finishing with a time of 34.60.

Servicios de Agua y Drenaje de Monterrey from Apodaca, Mexico, reclaimed the top spot in the men’s pipe tapping competition. SADM had won the top prize from 2022-2024 before placing third in 2025.

The City of Fredericton in New Brunswick, Canada, became the third Canadian utility in the last four years to claim the top spot at the Best of the Best Taste Test, joining the cities of Charlottetown (2024) and Miramichi (2023) as Atlantic Canada representatives to win.

Below is a summary of ACE26 contest results:

Meter Challenge: Individual contestants race to reassemble working water meters from parts.

1st: Craig Dalton, South Carolina Section, Time: 34.60
2nd: Scott Wall, California-Nevada Section
3rd: Jacob Harrison, Virginia Section
4th: Ruffin Colson, South Carolina Section

Pipe Tapping: Three-member teams race to tap a cement-lined, ductile iron pipe.

Men

1st: SADM Apodaca, Mexico Section, 1:19.50
2nd: Big Blue Tappers, Chesapeake Section, 1:29.46
3rd: Alamo Drillerz, Texas Section, 1:32.65
4th: BJWSA, South Carolina Section, 1:35.75
5th: Water Boys, Florida Section, 1:46.05

Women

1st: Lady Lonestar Tappers, Texas Section, 2:19.33
2nd: Grit City Grind, Pacific NW Section, 2:43.43
3rd: Lansing Lethal Ladies, Michigan Section, 2:47.22

Top Ops: Teams of operators and lab technicians compete to score the most points answering scientific questions and math problems.

1st: Turbidity Chasers, Indiana Section
2nd: Str8 Drippin’, Chesapeake Section
3rd: Floc University, New York Section
4th: The Incompressibles, Illinois Section

Best of the Best Tap Water Taste Test: A panel of experts determines which AWWA Section tap water is “best of the best.”

1st: City of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, Atlantic Canada Section
2nd: Village of Sugar Grove, Illinois, Illinois Section
3rd: Central Utah Water Conservancy District, Vineyard, Utah, Intermountain Section

People’s Choice Tap Water Taste Test: ACE attendees vote on their favorite AWWA Section tap water winner.

City Corporation, Russellville, Arkansas, Southwest Section