Queensland has won the annual Water of Origin competition.

The Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA) met in Brisbane held the competition in Brisbane, testing water samples from Queensland and New South Wales on their quality, clarity and taste.

“Both of them were very high quality, but Toowoomba's water was a better drop,” judge Craig Mathisen said.

“Most people turn on the tap and don't really think about the work that's gone before the water being available.”

John Mills, water operations manager at the Toowoomba Regional Council, said his team celebrated with a couple of drinks – water of course.

“The June 2017 vintage is a pretty good one,” he said.

“For us it's a balance because when you have dam and bore water blends, you have to make sure the hardness level doesn't go up too much.

“A little bit too much hard water makes washing and lathering up soap more difficult.”

Judges considered aspects of ‘earthiness’, clarity and taste on a water tasting wheel, which includes standard descriptions like fishy, chemical, cloudy, floury and metallic.

“Depending on the water source it can be quite different,” Mr Mathisen told ABC Radio.

“We hold the water to the light to look for sediment, then we smell the water, roll the water in our mouth and swallow it.

“Rain events and other weather events can vary it, but we undertake treatment on the water to maintain consistency.

“It also depends on what sample the water comes out of — plastic, glass, ceramic.”

Queensland will now go up against the other states in a national competition, with the winner moving on to compete overseas.