H2Woah! The small town of Glenden with Australia's best tasting water
Published on 22 August 2025
Written by Carenda Jenkin
In the heart of Queensland's mining region lies Glenden, a small town with a population shy of 300, which has recently gained national recognition for an unexpected reason: its water. Known for its pristine quality and exceptional taste, Glenden's water has been crowned the best in Queensland and Australia, titles that have brought pride and excitement to the local community.
This achievement didn't happen by chance. Behind the scenes, two Isaac Regional Council operators, Owen Ruston and David Smith, have worked tirelessly to ensure that Glenden's water remains crystal clear and delicious. Known locally as the "splash-tacular duo,” their methods have become the stuff of legend.
Owen, a New Zealand grandfather-of-six and former dairy farmer, who moved to Glenden in search of mining opportunities, instead struck liquid success in the world of water treatment.
Living in the community, his personal water testing method is as unique as it is effective: each evening, during his shower, Owen pauses to smell and sip the water. If he doesn’t feel fresh as a daisy post-rinse, he knows something's amiss and immediately investigates.
Meanwhile, David's background in minerals exploration led him to Glenden, where his morning routine now doubles as a quality check. Each day, the 68-year-old’s tea-time ritual serves as an impromptu water test. If his brew tastes off, David knows there’s something brewing in the water supply as well.
Owen's rinse-and-repeat routine and David's tea-time testing complement formal water testing, and their local presence in the community has enabled Glenden's water treatment plant to flourish, ensuring top-notch quality. The duo's expertise and hands-on monitoring keep everything flowing smoothly.
The result? Glenden's water emerged victorious at a prestigious national taste test in 2024, where 130 tasters crowned it Australia's finest. The town's water, drawn from the Bowen River Weir, benefits from clean source water. However, this also demands vigilance, with Owen and David carefully managing dosing and monitoring to maintain exceptional quality.
Their dedication goes beyond taste — it's about community well-being. Knowing that every glass of water in Glenden is clean, safe, and delicious gives locals confidence and pride. Visitors are known to bottle some of Glenden's "liquid gold" to take home, eager to savour what has become a symbol of the town's excellence.
The recognition of Glenden's water has gone international as well, with the town's supply representing Australia in an international taste-off with New Zealand in May 2025. This achievement highlights not just the outstanding quality of Glenden's water, but also the hard work and commitment of Owen, David, their manager Stephen Wagner, and the entire Isaac Regional Council team.
Council remains proud and positive, knowing that their water is not only a source of life but also a source of achievement. Thanks to the dedication and commitment of Owen and David, Glenden's water will continue to make a splash.
The award-winning Glenden Water Treatment Plant's process:
- The 6ML Turkey's Nest at Glenden is managed by Isaac Regional Council. It uses a fountain aerator to mix the supernatant return with the main raw water. The water is pumped and monitored with duty standby pumps and a flow meter.
- Powdered Activated Carbon is added at the bottom of a flash mixer using a dosing pump. Operators can manually adjust the dosing setpoint.
- Alum is added just before the flash mixer using a dosing pump. Operators adjust the dosing as needed.
- Polymer is added at the top of the flash mixer using a dosing pump. Operators adjust the dosing as needed.
- After flocculation, the flocs settle in a clarifier. The clarified water flows out through launders into the filters. Sludge is managed with an automatic de-sludging process.
- Water flows into three sand filters. An inline turbidity monitor controls the process. Each filter has a sample point for manual checks. Flow distribution is controlled by turning filter inlet valves on and off. Backwashing is done manually or automatically based on pressure.
- Backwash water is collected in a tank and used for irrigation. The tank holds 10,000L, enough for one backwash. Sludge from the tank and clarifier is discharged into sludge ponds and allowed to dry.
- Sodium hypochlorite is added to the filtered water for disinfection. The dosage is adjusted to maintain the disinfection levels required to ensure public health.
- The operation of the treatment process is controlled by reservoir levels to the town, with the clearwater tank holding enough water for several days without the plant running.
- This process ensures our award-winning water quality, and the infrastructure provides ongoing water security for the town and community.