POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Use caution when taking advantage of mailers that offer free water inspections, county officials warn.
The mailers have been sent to Polk County homes and are not affiliated with the county.
They are titled “FLORIDA WATER” and offer free water inspections from Florida Water Analysis.
People who are interested are asked to fill out the form, send it back in the mail, and await a call to schedule an onsite inspection.
“They’re trying to scare you. You should never be scared of your water. And if you are, don’t call them – call us,” said Tamara Richardson, the Polk County utilities director.
Offers like this can be a way for businesses to sell people filter equipment they do not need, Richardson said.
“They show you ‘look what’s in your water. You need our systems to make sure your family is safe and not drinking this horrible material.’ Our water, there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s absolutely safe,” she said.
“The definition of need is, I guess, met by each individual person,” said Florida Water Analysis Owner Geno Yauchler.
Yauchler defends his business practices, saying he gives people the chance to find out what’s in their water so they can decide what to do about it.
His argument is just because water meets minimum federal requirements, it does not mean it is as healthy as it could be.
“By no means are we trying to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes. We’re not trying to mislead or scam anybody. We’re giving people information,” he said.
Lakeland’s Joy Sims says she would throw out the mailer if she received it.
“If you’re going to do something like that, you’re going to seek somebody out on your own, opposed to falling for a mailer,” Sims said.
Richardson urges people to contact the county for an inspection before reaching out to a business for service.
“We are always available. If you are concerned about your water quality, just give us a call. And we’ll test for anything you’re concerned about,” she said.
The county utilities department can be reached at 863-397-1441.
