Do you know what contaminants your water contains? If not, then please allow us to come into your home and scare the pants off of you so we can sell you a water treatment system that you may or not need.

Sounds ridiculous and unethical, right? We think so, too, but obviously some folks in the Minnesota area think that plan sounds absolutely wonderful… and profitable.

Thankfully some folks up that way did the right thing and notified local authorities so they could put out a statewide alert detailing the actions and intents of those shady water filter sales cretins.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is reminding Minnesota residents to beware of false claims, deceptive sales pitches, and scare tactics being used by some water treatment companies to sell expensive and unnecessary water treatment systems.

High profile investigations of groundwater contamination in Washington County and elsewhere in the state have resulted in a noticeable increase in the number of complaints regarding such deceptive sales activities.

While the sales pitch varies, the salesperson nearly always:

— Recites a list of recent groundwater contamination problems across the state, regardless of whether the contamination actually affects the resident or not.

— Conducts a series of water quality “tests” that the salesperson claims indicate the presence of contamination, when in fact they may simply indicate the presence of naturally occurring minerals in the water.

— Misrepresents state and federal drinking water standards, claiming the resident’s water exceeds those standards, and implying the water is unsafe to drink.

— Offers a “one-time only” offer of a water treatment system at a “greatly reduced” price, when in fact the systems are being sold at grossly inflated prices.

In some of the worst instances, the salesperson has implied or said that he is working with the city’s water utility or the state health department. In most cases, the systems are being sold for thousands of dollars more than they would cost if bought through a reputable water treatment company.

Anyone who believes they have been provided false or misleading information or that they have been subjected to unfair or high-pressure tactics in the course of a sales visit should contact the Minnesota Attorney General’s office Consumer Complaints division at 651-296-3353 or 800-657-3787 or online at http://www.ag.state.mn.us/Consumer/Complaint.asp.

Additional information about drinking water and home water treatment systems is available on the MDH website at:

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/index.html and

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water/factsheet/com/pou.html.( source )

Now don’t get us wrong. Not ALL water filter salespeople use deceptive and underhanded sales tactics. Many water filter companies adhere to strict codes of conduct and actually PREFER to work with an educated and informed customer base. You can find companies of this type listed on the Water Quality Association and NSF web sites.

Watercheck Test Kit
Watercheck Test Kit
National Testing Laboratories

Educate yourself before talking to a water filter salesperson?

Absolutely! By definition the salesperson wants to SELL you something, not teach you things that will cause him or her to lose a sale!

First line of defense against shady sales tactics: Educate yourself on water quality issues potentially affecting people in your area by contacting your local health department. They will gladly provide you with the information you request.

Second line of defense against shady sales tactics: Have your water tested by an independent, certified company such as National Testing Laboratories or an independent lab recommended by you local health department.

If nothing else, you can always test your water for the basic water quality parameters using a test kit from companies like SenSafe and WaterSafe.

WaterFilters.Net: SenSafe Complete Water Test Kit
SenSafe Complete Water Test Kit

WaterFilters.Net: WaterSafe City Test Kit
WaterSafe City Test Kit