The Water Quality Association is calling attention to door-to-door solicitations in Napa, CA, being conducted by a company falsely representing itself as WQA. “The Water Quality Association is a trade association, does not itself sell water treatment products, and so never, ever solicits door-to-door,” said WQA Executive Director Pauli Undesser. “WQA has a strict code of ethics for our members, including manufacturers of water treatment products and those who install, maintain and service treatment products. They don’t use scare tactics or sham selling techniques to generate business.”
Even so, WQA continues to hear reports from around the country about people falsely claiming to represent WQA, misrepresenting themselves to sell water treatment products or offer water testing, or participating in predatory lending activities. WQA is vigilant about investigating and shutting down such practices whenever possible. In the California case, a man identifying himself as ‘an analyst’ for WQA and wearing a shirt with the WQA logo made an appointment to visit a Napa man to check his water. When the man changed his mind and called WQA to cancel the appointment, he discovered the solicitor was falsely representing himself as a WQA employee.
WQA is also warning consumers to be wary of sales representatives playing on fears about COVID-19. US EPA continues to advise the public that the coronavirus has not been detected in drinking-water supplies and that the risk is low. “Health and safety of industry professionals and the public is priority number one, period,” Undesser advises members in a video that is part of WQA’s coronavirus checklist for members. “This is a time for our industry to employ our expertise to enhance health and safety for all.”
The Water Quality Association operates the Gold Seal Product Certification Program and Laboratory for the evaluation, testing and certification of water treatment technologies. It does not provide testing services directly to consumers and does not solicit door-to-door or over the telephone. WQA recommends homeowners have their water tested by a water treatment professional or certified lab. WQA members in your area can be found using WQA’s Find Water Treatment Providers tool. The Association offers other suggestions for finding reputable water treatment professionals on its website.
In addition, WQA recommends treatment products that have been certified to work as claimed. Consumers can visit WQA’s product certification listings to search WQA’s database of certified products.
CDC information on COVID-19 and drinking water
US EPA information on COVID-19 and drinking water