Confusion Over Water Bottles Left At Mailboxes

By: Robin Kanady | WSPA
Published: April 07, 2011

A company selling water filtration systems is leaving water bottles, asking residents to fill them up. But now neighbors are full of questions.

Ann Wilson says, “There was a bottle. It was in a plastic bag.” Wilson came home and found a water kit hanging on her mailbox. She says, “That's when we realized there was a problem out there.”

Wilson found a flier with instructions attached, telling her to fill the bottle up with tap water, to answer some questions, and hang the sample back on her mailbox for pick-up.

Wilson was already familiar with the bottles and fliers. She works as a customer service representative at the Powdersville Water District. Wilson says, “We had had customers to call our office saying they didn't understand, or they didn't know if the water was safe.”

The Powdersville Water District did not send out the water bottles. A company named Environmental Progress, headquartered in Lexington, distributed the water kits. The company's general manager Frank Sansone told News Channel 7 over the phone they don't think anything is wrong with the water in Powdersville and that the company is using the bottles to test the water quality, in order to sell water filtration systems.

News Channel 7 asked Dyke Spencer, General Manager of the Powdersville Water District, “What would you say to somebody who got one of these (the water kits)? Should they do it? Should they send their water off? Spencer replied, “Save your money.”

Spencer says the water district tests water quality routinely. He says there are no problems. As for Environmental Progress, Spencer does not like the way they're testing the waters in Powdersville. He says, “I question more the way it's being solicited and causing alarm to our customers.”

Environmental Progress says they'll notify the town or county where they do business and get a license to hang the water bottles on mailboxes.

We checked out Environmental Progress with the Better Business Bureau. The BBB says the company is in good standing. Over the last three years, environmental progress has had 8 complaints. The concerns were related to water filtration equipment and not solicitation. The BBB says all 8 of those complaints have been resolved.