ComplaintsforQuality Water Treatment, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  04/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I did purchase the Softpro Elite Water Softener [City]x1 32000 / Gold (Whole House Chlorine+) / No RO/ Not Applicable product from Quality Water Treatment aka Softpro Water Systems on 11/27/2023 from online with the help of Sales person *** ******* *********@qualitywatertreatment.com) for $1,860.65. I got a local plumber to install the units per instructions given in the installation manual that comes with units. Later we came to know that the instructions were not clear and the control unit that supposed to install on water softener was installed on carbon filter. Then again I called plumber to install the control unit on water softener. In instructions it was not written clearly which one is water softener and which one is carbon filter. The size of both units are not shown with dimensions on instructions for above 2 units. I did complain the same to them. They sent another online manual with instructions. After getting plumber again, I could able to fix the piping connections by connecting to cold water lines. The emails were exchanged back and forth on above said issue is between 12/26/2023 and 01/02/2024. Now the actual water pressure issue started with these units. I complained about the same again to **** over phone and by sending it in email on 01/22/2024. Since then **** and her back end team ***** Hagen were tried to help me to perform some steps in their control unit. But it didn't went well. After performing their each suggested step, I did send emails to them with all photos how the water pressure is from each tap if we open multiple taps at same time. But no luck. They told me that since the initial installation was not done properly, both the units have some issue and they said I have a water pressure issue in my home. Every time if I need to do this troubleshooting with water pipe lines connect and disconnect with these units, I need to call plumber. They were charging $100-$200. Total spent so far is $2,960.25. I want my money back and take units.

  Business response

  05/08/2024

  To whom it may concern - We have also been communicating with the Attorney General on this complaint so I will share the same response we provided them. 
  
      *** ******* Has stated in emails that the Units were not installed properly by the installer and it was 3-4 weeks before contacting us with Issues and the water being overly salty. After spending time with them on a call our Technical team determined the Softener valve had been installed on the Carbon filtration unit and the Carbon Head was used on the Softener resin tank.
  
    Installing the units this way would cause the carbon bed to be getting dosed with salt, This would create the salty water as it is not designed to be used that way. The other issues that can happen is the Softener media was being run through a Non backwashing unit and is not designed to work that way, carbon fines may have been flushed into the resin bed which can create performance issues. The carbon media also could be compromised due to getting dosed with salt a few times with no way to purge it from the Media bed. 
  
      The units come in their own packages and the packages are Marked with labels stating what units/Items are inside the boxes, There was no attempt to contact us that we have on record to confirm which unit is which after they were unboxed and unsure/could not recall which of the tanks was what and proceeded to install them anyways assuming which one was the softener. There are also Spec and detail pages, as well as charts on our website that could have been double checked which also disclose the tank sizes of the units they received if they needed to reconfirm what size tank what. The Carbon filter install guide is also very clear about what side of the unit to use as the Inlet and outlet and is shown-listed in 4-5 different areas of the guide.so blaming the guides when they are very clear on how to plumb the unit is incorrect. 
  
     The rep ***** at Canature Water Group I was told did not say their units are undersized, They said that due to being installed improperly they needed new media and bypasses.Based on their people full time,amount of bathrooms and Fixtures we were told they have the units are in no way undersized to where they would restrict pressure in that way. The test We had them run confirmed it would not be a system size issue when the water pressure issue does not resolve when bypassing either unit. They either have blockage in the bypass assemblies from the improper install and or have blockage in the plumbing and at the faucets due to it. Which was relayed to them and to my knowledge was not checked.  The team had spent 15 hours with this customer trying to help resolve any issues and walking them through everything with a plumber even present at times, there has not been any accountability taken by the plumber that the customer hired to install the systems or customer that the issues are due to the units being installed wrong to start with and also voids any return or warranty guarantees. According to most State Contractor laws it is the plumber's responsibility to repair, replace or pay for damages incurred by work that was performed by them improperly, we advise the customer to go back to the plumber they hired to collect damages that was caused by improper installation. 
  
  Please also see additional communication between QWT, Consumer, and AG 
  
  Hello
  
  
  Please see our response below.
  
  First we do want to apologize that your systems are not working due to the incorrect installation that your plumber and yourself performed. 
  
  We also want to point out that we have sold thousands of these packages over the past 23 years online and not once have we had a homeowner or plumber install a softener valve onto a carbon filter tank, 
  
  The water softener brine tank box is clearly labeled OPEN FIRST with the model of tank size of the softener " see attached photo as a example" inside the brine tank box are all the components for the water softener including the valve, bypass, fittings and installation guide for the water softener. 
  
  There is a separate box labeled as the filt,  NRV TOC -150 that has the upflow NRV carbon filter loaded tank, upflow head, bypass, fittings and installation guide in it. " see attached photo"
  It would be really hard not to know what system is what being the parts box for the NRV carbon filter is in the same box that the NRV carbon filter tank is in and inside that parts box is the NRV carbon filter upflow head, bypass valve, fitting and installation guide. So when the customer opens this box it is very apparent that it all goes together and all boxes are marked separately as well.  
  
  Perhaps the customer unpacked everything before the plumber showed up without taking care of what each tank and component was for when unpacking for them labeled boxes?
  
  The bypass valves are clearly labeled with color codes inlet and outlet for both the softener and the upflow carbon filter " see attached photos" 
  
  Customer states in response: 
  
  As soon as the units arrived, I did install the units in a week and half with the help of a plumber. I did contact the Quality Water Treatment support team over the phone during the installation phase to check where to install the control unit. Is it on a carbon filter or softener unit? Based on the support person ******* (I believe this is what I remember his name when I first contacted the support team). If it's not the correct name of the support person, then it could be other but definitely it's a male voice. Based on his recommendation, the plumber installed the control unit on Carbon Filter. 
  QWT response to this:
  
  We do not have any Male customer service or tech support staff, we have one customer support person that is **** which is a female. There is NO male  customer support representative here that would have told you to install a softener control valve onto a carbon filter system, the only male here that you spoke with is ****** and that was after the fact, ****** is our Sales and Technical support manager with over 15 years experience in the water treatment industry ( We have one recorded call from you speaking with **** after the system was initially installed asking simple setup questions after the systems were installed nothing was asked about where to place the control valve.
  
  You did not do your own due diligence and contacted us to ask the question you claimed that you asked, your response not remembering the name of the person you spoke to but was definitely a male is very telling that you are not being truthful. 
  
  You installed a system improperly that again we have sold thousands of with very few issues and nothing to this calibur of error. This was your and or your plumber's error and for some reason you dont want to take responsibility for your errors and want to blame it on whatever you can think of instead of taking responsibility for it.
  
  We have shown all the photos of how our systems are shipped and labeled.
  
  With all that said. We have supplied you with a list of parts and media needed to repair the damage that was caused by the improper installation completed by you and your plumber.
  
  We will sell these parts and media at our cost to help you out and get the system running as they should be. 

  Customer response

  05/16/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Since I don't remember the name of the first person that I spoke that doesn't mean that I am not truthful. How can they say like that? Who knows they might get rid of that person or they make him to work on backend and made **** front end to answer customer calls. I didn't open any boxes by myself before the plumber is hired from my end. My plumber **** ****** did spoke with their customer care before installing the control unit first time in NRV filter. Since the instructions were not clear, he did call and spoke to customer care where to install the control unit. 

  The instructions that I received with boxes are incorrect. Who knows they changed the instructions after I complained about my issue. When started working with **** over phone call, I did point the instructions that are not sufficient and she agreed as well by saying apologies for the instructions that I received with boxes. She asked to refer the online instructions. I sent one pen drawn diagram of piping connections to **** and asked her to confirm. She didn't even confirm that and asked to refer the instructions showing in their website.   

  Regarding the sizing, they didn't hear the call record of the ****** who spoke to me about the sizing of the units. ****** from their end did mention about the incorrect sizing of the units for my house in the call and it was witnessed by the plumber as well. Now they are saying its not correct. They want to save themselves now by denying that statement. Who knows the call record might be destroyed by ****** or this QWT team itself to save themselves. 

  The sizing proposed initially before purchasing the units by the sales person (Ray Viloria) is different and the one suggested by same sales person at the time of purchase is different. I sent the email correspondence on the same to them. Till now they didn't answer anything about it. Why did the lower end sizing units are suggested to me at the time of purchase? 

  If everything is correct from their end, why did they stop responding to my calls and emails? Since I registered complaints with BBB and South Dakota Consumer Protection, they started saying fault is on my end. 

  I want to send these units back to them. I have 0% confidence that these units will work even after the parts they are suggesting to replace now with additional cost. I don't want to spend a single penny on these units now. These units are not good for my needs. They suggested wrong sizing and send incorrect suggestions. They don't even care to respond to customers in time. They just dragged lot of time without responding to my emails or voice mails. 

  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******* ******* ***** ****

• Initial Complaint

  03/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I ordered three items from this company. Two of them were unnecessary, but before I could cancel them from my order, the packages arrived the day after I placed the order. It took two weeks (from Jan 28 to Feb. 9) before I could get them to provide me with approval to return the two unnecessary parts, still in the original packaging. They received the parts back on Feb. 13. I'm still waiting for my refund. The refund amount they owe me is $******. This is the $****** original charge less their **% restocking fee which amounts to $*****. I think their restocking fee is excessive, but I knew what it was when I returned the items. I've been getting excuse after excuse after excuse, but no refund. This is the worst customer service I've had to deal with in a long time.

• Initial Complaint

  02/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Order ******: Reverse Osmosis (RO) Replacement Filters ******* ** ***** (50 GPD) × 1 (Bottom 3 Filters + Advanced Alkalizing Filter) Order Confirmed: Nov 28, 2022, 10:07 PM Spent: $****** Issue: Incomplete/Incorrect Order. Complete/correct order never received. Asked for a refund, but kept being told they will check the warehouse and supplier. I was told their warehouse ma have missed it, out of stock, that they would give me tracking details, but nothing has progressed and do not want to give me a refund. The order was confirmed on Nov 28, 2022. The emails exchanged started on December 28, 2022. I have trying to stay patient, but this is just highly unacceptable.

  Customer response

  02/15/2023

  *********** ***********
  I have attached a screenshot of the email reply from Carla at Quality Water Treatment, after I notified them of the BBB case that was opened. The $* refund does not seem reasonable at all. I am not sure where that dollar amount came from, but I have yet to receive that as well as the alkalizing filter.
  *** **************** ******************************

  Business response

  03/07/2023

  Hello, 

   

  I greatly apologize that you had to deal with this. Unfortunately, we've had some issues with this supplier as of late (transition/growing pains for them right now), this includes them dropping the ball and sending out incomplete orders. We've since rectified these issues with them but this is no excuse for our team not getting you these filters regardless as they could have been ordered from another supplier. I will be happy to order these filters from another supplier and get them to you ASAP or I will happily refund you the money - Whichever you choose. I will also reach out to you via phone for a quicker response from you. 

  Thank you - General Manager. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩