Grab your favorite glass bottle of still or sparkling and prepare to geek out with me, because The Daily Pour the ultimate drinks guide for the modern consumer just dropped something huge for lovers of water everywhere: the inaugural Water Choice Awards. This is not your average badge-on-a-bottle moment; this is a full-blown celebration of what makes water worth talking about from classic spring sources to high-mineral marvels. And honestly? It’s about time the water world got this kind of shine.
In this deep dive, we’re covering everything you need to know: what the awards are, how brands can enter, important dates, why this matters for the water community, and yes whether you can attend or participate in any way. Let’s get into it.
🏆 What Are the Water Choice Awards?
Think of this as the Oscars of water — but for bottles that actually deserve applause. The Water Choice Awards are a brand-new awards program hosted by The Daily Pour aimed at spotlighting the very best in water. Whether it’s an effervescent mineral water from a mountain spring or an everyday still that surprises the palate, these awards are designed to elevate quality and diversity across the global water landscape.
And here’s the twist you’re going to love: everything from tap waters to internationally produced premium bottles can enter. That’s right — it’s not limited to fancy boutique brands. Water lovers everywhere finally have a stage where every drop counts.
📅 Important Dates (Mark Your Calendar)
The Water Choice Awards are already rolling into their first year, with a well-paced timeline to make sure brands have plenty of time to participate:
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Early Entry Opens: March 1, 2026
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Early Entry Window: March 1 — April 30, 2026
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Regular Entry Window: May 1 — June 30, 2026
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Deadline for Submissions: June 30, 2026 (products must arrive by July 1 to be judged)
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Judging Date: August 17, 2026
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Winners Announcement: September 2026
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This timeline gives brands ample time to prepare their submissions and gives curious water enthusiasts some serious anticipation to wash down the wait. (The Daily Pour)
📦 How Brands Can Enter
Entering the Water Choice Awards is straightforward but requires intent: you’re essentially submitting yourself to blind tasting judgment — kind of like a spa day for your bottle. Here’s the official three-step entry process:
1. Register on the Contest Website (coming soon)
2. Ship Your Products to the Judging Office
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2 bottles of 700/750 ml or 2 bottles/boxes of 500 ml
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Include a printed list with brand details, SKUs, and contact info
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Tap water must be bottled in clear glass with labeled names
3. Judges Taste and Rate All Entries — blind and unbiased — on August 17, 2026
The address for shipment is:
Abrams Media
Attn: Zoe – Water Choice Awards
1261 Broadway, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10011
(Monday–Friday, 9 AM–4 PM)
So yes if you’re reading this as a brand owner, you can absolutely enter! Even if your water is simple municipal spring, or a hyper-premium imported variant there’s a category for you.
💸 Costs and Categories — Let’s Break It Down
Entering a competition always means budgets, and this one delivers fair play plus flexibility:
Entry Fees (U.S. Dollars)
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Early Entry (March 1–April 30): $50 per submission (The Daily Pour)
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Regular Entry (May 1–June 30): $75 per submission (The Daily Pour)
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Additional SKUs (Early): $25 (The Daily Pour)
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Additional SKUs (Regular): $50 (The Daily Pour)
Categories You’ll See:
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Non-Carbonated Water
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Natural Sparkling Water
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Sparkling Water
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Mineral Water (by TDS ranges)
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Flavored Water
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Flavored Sparkling Water
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Most Sustainable Bottled Water
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Best Bottled Water That Gives Back
Not only is this a celebration of taste, but also of mission-driven excellence especially categories like sustainability and social impact.
🍷 Judging: Blind, Balanced, Brilliant
One of the things that makes the Water Choice Awards legit (and fun) is how seriously they take judging. Every entry is evaluated blind no branding, no bias just taste and quality.
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Panels of experienced drinks experts (including water sommeliers, authors, and beverage founders) rate each entry.
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Beverages are scored on a 1–10 scale for quality and category expectations.
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Medals awarded range from Double Gold all the way down to Bronze.
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Judges’ decisions are final and completely confidential.
And yes — yours truly, Ashley Epperson (that’s me, Waterlady at Salacious Drinks) is serving as the Head Judge for the first year of these awards. I could not be more thrilled to elevate water in a way that feels earned.
🥇 What Winners Get
What’s at stake here isn’t just a sticker you slap on your website (though that’s part of it). Winners receive:
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Feature placement on The Daily Pour website and newsletter.
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Recognition across social platforms where relevant.
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Trophies for Double Gold and Gold winners.
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Digital medals and optional printed promotional materials.
This is seriously big water world exposure — especially for smaller brands looking to expand awareness or gain legitimacy.
🎟️ Can You Attend?
Right now, the Water Choice Awards are not an open-to-the-public event like a gala or festival. This year the action is behind the scenes the judging and results are media-driven and will be shared online and via The Daily Pour channels.
But here’s the exciting part: once winners are revealed in September 2026, the spotlight will be all over them — and that’s where you, as a fellow water lover, can dive in and celebrate with your favorites, share your insights, and even debate which medal was deservedly won. It’s part of the fun!
💧 Why This Matters
You already know I love good water, but hear me on this: the Water Choice Awards are a game changer. For the first time, we’ll have a structured, expert-led celebration that:
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Highlights taste quality across styles and sources
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Brings consumer awareness to hidden gems in the category
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Encourages innovation from sustainability to flavor creativity
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Gives brands a platform to be discovered by real drinkers and pros alike (
And let’s be real we all deserve a world where water gets more applause, more dialogue, and more celebration. Because if we’re talking about the most universal drink on the planet, we might as well do it with style.
So whether you’re thinking about entering a brand, following the results, or just curious to see which waters rise to the top trust me, this is going to be a watershed moment for water lovers everywhere. Stay tuned for official registration, pack your bottles, and let’s pour into something spectacular. 