WASHINGTON—If you’re visiting Massachusetts this summer, you might want to think twice before buying that bottled water.

On Tuesday, small community drinking water suppliers from across the country competed in Washington for the honor of being called producers of America’s best- tasting tap water. 

Three Rivers, Mass. took the top prize, with Avila, Ind., in second place and Mt. Shasta, Cal., third among rural producers. Water was judged on three attributes: clarity, bouquet and taste. Contestants’ offerings came from a variety of sources, including wells, cold springs and the ground.

South Carolina didn’t win this year, but it wasn’t for lack of enthusiasm.

“Everyone thinks bottled water is better than tap, but it’s not,” said Steve Wilson, general manager for West Anderson, S.C. water district, which was chosen to represent South Carolina in the national contest in Washington.

“We’re proud of our product. You can put your cup under any fawcet” and be satisfied with the result, Wilson said. He submitted water taken from his office’s kitchen sink.

“‘Quality on tap’ that’s our motto,” he said.

The goal of the contest is “to prove that great-tasting water comes straight from the heart of rural America,” according to the National Rural Water Association.  More than 80 percent of the water systems in the nation serve less than 10,000 people, said John Hood, executive director of the Pennsylvania Rural Water Association in Bellefonte.

“We could talk a lot about our water,” Hood said, “we’re excited about it.”

“As everyone knows, the best water in the country is produced in rural areas,” said Rob Johnson, CEO of the National Rural Water Association.

 And South Carolina?  A “great state for water” because of the amount of rainfall, Johnson said. South Carolina averages 48 inches of rain per year, according to the Office of State Climatology. Greenville-Spartanburg averages 50 annually.

According to the association, many people purchase bottled water because they like the convenience, or think it’s safer. However, tap water is subject to strict environmental inspections and is often tested more frequently than the bottled water.

 Bottled water labels, said the association, often reveal that the water comes straight from a local tap “at a 200 percent markup.”

The National Rural Water Association is comprised of more than 25,735 water and waste water systems from 48 state rural water associations and is the nation’s largest utility association.

With more than 50,000 water systems eligible to compete, the competition was tough. State finals brought the number down to 750. Judges were USDA Undersecretary Tom Dorr, Melanie Rhinehart, legislative director for Rep. Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota, and David Roskowic, area manager for Engineered Storage products.

Wilson admits that he is partial to Upstate water. “We think we’re special here in the Upstate.” However, he acknowledges that people have different tastes. “Some people like Clemson, others like Carolina,” he said.

For Wilson, “It’s a good honor to be chosen the best water in the state.”