The ‘Prince’ water sommelier’s search for the best water on campus

Between cramming for exams and navigating the sprawling campus, Princeton students are always on the go. However, what often gets overlooked in the hustle is something they rely on every day: the water that keeps them going.

To assess the taste of campus water and its quality, I sampled water from dining halls and residential college water fountains. What I found might not surprise you: water at the newer colleges passed the test of student approval, while Roma isn’t quite as satisfying. However, students have found some ways to improve their hydration experience with some refreshing alternatives.

Choi Dining Hall, one of the newer additions to campus, sets the standard for great water quality. The water here tastes fresh, crisp, and clean, making it one of the most reliable places to hydrate. The water fountains in Yeh and New College West are also consistently well-maintained, with clear, cold water that doesn’t have any noticeable metallic or chemical aftertaste.

At the other end of the spectrum, Roma’s water is a different story. The water fountains here taste just like any other standard campus water source, yet with a slightly rusty undertone. When it comes to the dining hall, the water quality becomes more subjective—Roma frequently offers fruit-infused spa water, which can be a hit or miss depending on the fruit selection of the day. But for Hannah Feinberg ’28, it’s essential. “The fruit water is the only thing that gets me out of bed,” she said.

Whitman, on the other hand, is highly unpredictable. Some water fountains appear slightly rusty and deliver a taste that raises eyebrows, while others are perfectly fine. The dining hall follows this inconsistency. Unlike Yeh or Forbes, Whitman only offers a water faucet and soda machine water that comes out of the lemonade, “As a Yeh resident, the water in Whitman, in comparison, tastes a bit more stale and recognizable than the other residential colleges,” said Abigail Jung ‘28.

Forbes, much like Roma, frequently offers fruit-infused water in the dining hall, sometimes with cucumber or citrus additions. Adam Vu ‘28, a Forbes resident, gave the infused water a thumbs up. “Fruit water is all I ever known. It’s pretty good, too. Very consistent,” he said.

The water fountains at Forbes often have a taste that some students compare to Whitman’s, with a slightly metallic or tap-like flavor, making them less appealing for regular use. I also noticed this twinge of flavor when I tasted the fountains to assess my review.

Finally, Butler College offers a consistently solid water experience. “I think it tastes fine. I usually use the water bottle refill stations, but it tastes pretty filtered to me,” said Mohemeen Ahmed ‘28. Butler also shares a dining hall with Whitman, so the reviews on the cafeteria are the same as those mentioned earlier for the Whitman review.

After trying different spots around campus, I found that Yeh College and New College West consistently offer clean, crisp, and reliably refreshing water. Butler College, I believe, comes as the best second option, followed by Whitman College as third. Rocky and Mathey College tie with Forbes College for the bottom tier. According to water tests conducted by the ‘Prince,’ water is generally safe around campus to drink. By comparing taste, consistency, and student experiences, the results uncover how something as fundamental as water can influence daily life and shape the student experience at Princeton.

Cynthia Lee is a contributing writer for The Prospect. She is a member of the class of 2028 and can be reached at cl9425@princeton.edu.

Please send any corrections to corrections@dailyprincetonian.com.