Cincinnati's latest flex is canning its tap water
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Greater Cincinnati Water Works cans and a toy version of the mascot. Photos: Courtesy of Greater Cincinnati Water Works
Cincinnati believes its tap water tastes so good that it decided to turn a government mandate into a hometown flex.
Why it matters: You might be drinking water canned by the city the next time there's an outage.
The big picture: A U.S Environmental Protection Agency rule requires utilities to provide drinking water during outages lasting 24 hours or longer.
- When the rule took effect, Greater Cincinnati Water Works did what most utilities would: It bought pallets of bottled water.
- Then it reconsidered, opting to can its own water.
Between the lines: The decision to go its own route was as much about branding as preparedness, according to GCWW.
- The utility has long encouraged residents to drink tap water, pushing back on national trends showing most people prefer bottled water.
- GWCC's pitch is backed by reputation. It won Ohio's "best tasting water" title in 2025.
Now it's packaging that message — literally — and putting it in people's hands by way of 16-ounce aluminum cans.
- It decided to use the cans over plastic bottles because they're cheaper and more environmentally friendly, according to GCWW spokesperson Kevin Osborne.
Casey's thought bubble: It has a slight metallic taste, as you might expect, but otherwise tastes just like a quality bottled water — and maybe even better than what comes straight from my tap.
State of play: They're primarily for customers without water service typically due to water main breaks or natural disasters.
- GCWW is using the cans to provide water at major community events like the Flying Pig Marathon, Findlay Market's Opening Day Parade and Taste of Cincinnati.
The intrigue: GCWW partnered with Over-the-Rhine-based Modern Water to develop the program.
- The water is canned locally by Urban Artifact, a Northside brewery, and will feature local artwork — starting with Cincinnati designer Evan Verilli.
Fun fact: The water from the Tyler Davidson Fountain on the logo is drinkable.
