Aqua Clear System Inc.
reviews and complaints

I wanted to share my experience with a company known as Aqua Clear Systems Inc. based in Marietta, GA. I am not calling for a boycott of the company and I am not recommending that you do not do business with this company but I am simply conveying MY side of this experience along with MY opinions of what happened. I was laid off in January of 2009 from a good job of 13+ years. In June of 2009 I was hired and began training as a full time paid firefighter in a county just outside of Atlanta. I was fortunate to have it but it paid less than half of what I used to make. I was having to pull about 2k a month out of my 401K to make ends meet. I was, still am, struggling.

In early 2010 we began receiving unsolicited phone calls that the caller ID identified as "Clean Water Campaign". We ignored them for months but one day my wife answered to tell them to stop calling. The caller said she was with a company that had been contracted to perform a "water survey" in our area. She made it sound like they were working for some government entity and that they just wanted a sample of our water for testing purposes and we would receive a copy of the report and the whole thing should only take a few minutes. My wife unfortunately agreed.

A man showed up at the designated time and came into our house carrying all sorts of cases and large binders and started setting up in our kitchen. We asked him what was going on and he said he was there for the sales presentation. We asked him what he was talking about and he said that he was told we asked for a sales presentation on a water softener/purification system. We told him that we were informed he was just there to take a water sample and be on his way. He said he didn't know why we were told that and continued setting up his presentation. We were somewhat stunned and like IDIOTS allowed him to give his presentation. He used all sorts of Mr. Wizard experiments and made water samples turn all different sorts of colors and told us our water was unhealthy.

He then hit us with his $6900 water system that would solve all the problems he told us we had. We told him it might be a nice luxury to have if we were wealthy and could afford it but there was no way we could swing it on a take home salary of $1000 every 2 weeks and a quickly dwindling 401K. He threw in 2 programs that would supposedly offset the entire cost of the system. Both turned out to be worthless. We protested all the way up until he offered me a job with their company selling solar hot water heater systems. He said they were selling these systems to well over half the people they pitched them to because there were government rebates that more than paid for the systems. He said they could easily work around my schedule as a firefighter and send me on preset appointments in my area. He also claimed he was a Marine when he found out I was in the Marines years ago. He also claimed his daughter's name was the same as my wife's name. He also claimed that they had just let a couple of salespeople go because they supposedly were telling people untruths about the product to give me an impression that they conducted business in an ethical manner.

I finally fell for all the scams and agreed to buy their product. I did this largely based on the assumption that he was telling the truth and I would be making the 2k to 3k dollars a month that he claimed I should be able to make. They made sure to come install their system the very next day so I wouldn't have time to realize it was all a deceptive sales tactic.

They installed the system. Regarding the employment opportunity, he told me to get in touch with the owner of the company and set up a meeting...BUT, the owner wasn't available for about a week. When I got in touch with him he was nice enough and said he trusted the salesman's judgment and that there was no need for a meeting between the two of us and to just get back in touch with the salesman for training. I did this and the salesman said I still needed to talk to the owner. I finally got back in touch with the owner and he restated that there was no reason for us to meet and get back with the salesman for training. Hmmmmmmmmm. I finally got stern with the salesman about what was going on. He apologized and said he would take me on some sales calls. Oh at this point I need to mention he was pushing me hard to purchase the solar hot water heater system that he said I would be selling. I told him I was tapped out financially and after I started making some money I would do it but not at this time. This became more and more a point of contention for him The day came when I was supposed to accompany him on a couple of sales calls. I came home from my shift as a firefighter and got cleaned up and dressed appropriately and awaited his call as instructed. He finally called and told me the first appointment had canceled but he would firm up the later meeting and call me to tell me when and where to meet him. He never called back and didn't return my calls for a few days. I became incredulous at this point and started grilling him more about what was going on. The job offer had now changed to me "heading up their canvassing division". This involved me walking neighborhoods and knocking on people's doors unsolicited and trying to sell a $5000 product. This was the exact opposite of what I had been told and a completely unacceptable situation. I realized I had been had at this point. Also, I need to pause again and state that a few days after I purchased the water system he sold a solar system to a neighbor of mine and told them that I was going to be working for them. I can have my neighbor attest to this.

I threw up my hands at this point and realized I was screwed. Then my water system, "the Cadillac of water systems", began making a loud ticking noise. I called about this and was told it was nothing to worry about. I told the technician that I would just monitor and see if it persisted or got worse and then I would have them come out to fix it if necessary since the salesman adamantly explained that if the system EVER needed repair it would be at ABSOLUTELY NO COST to me. The tech informed that after a year that there would definitely be a service call fee and possibly labor charges. I never had them come out and the system is still ticking loudly.

I just resigned myself at this point that this was just one of the biggest mistakes I had ever made and that I was an absolute IDIOT for falling for the "fellow Marine wanting to help out a fellow Marine" as well as a dozen other lies. In late February 2011 I received a call out of the blue from Aqua Clear.A kind man asked me how I was liking my water system. I explained the whole ticking situation and that I was still miffed over the job thing that certainly seemed like merely a sales tactic. He feigned concern and said he would have a tech contact me about my system. He then stated the real reason for his call and announced to me that they were now also in the business of selling radiant barrier insulation. I told him that I liked the product but there was no way I could afford it right now. ONCE AGAIN they tried the old "what would you think about working for us" ploy. Like an IDIOT I gave them the benefit of the doubt and said that I would like to discuss it. He said "great" and that he would have the same salesman that sold me the water system come out and pitch me on the radiant barrier stuff and talk to me about working for them. I informed them at this point that I genuinely have an interest in this product so much so that I almost went to work for another company selling the product. But after a half a day of training I felt like this particular company was grossly overcharging people, was misleading in their sales pitch and gaining entry into people's homes by deceitful means. I told Aqua Clear that I would be very interested in working for them as long as they did not use these same practices. The person on the phone assured me they were not and that they still wanted to talk to me about selling for them. I reiterated that I was not in a position to buy anything right now. The person on the phone said that wasn't a problem and that the tech and the salesman would be contacting me.

Jump ahead one month. I never received a call from a tech or a salesman. The next contact I have with the company is when this same person that I last spoke to calls to tell us that it is time to replace a filter on the system and that they just so happened to be running a special of $200 right now. I was never told anything about having to replace expensive filters every year on top of about $75 in salt. I realize who the person on the phone is at this point and start demanding an explanation of why no one called me. I knew it was because it was the same shady tactic again and I had also made it clear that I wasn't going to buy their product. He quickly concocted some story and stated "well the salesman said you weren't interested". That would have been tough since I NEVER HAD ANY contact with the salesman. By the way, they don't use e-mails. I can only surmise it is because there will be no written record of the half truths and lies they tell. I began going over the laundry list of all the different ways their company has been less than truthful with me. The next thing I know I have been transferred and I hear "THIS IS JOHN, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?" I said I have been explaining the problems for the past 15 minutes to the other person. John then informed me "WELL THIS ISN'T GOING TO TAKE 15 MINUTES WITH ME." I told him that he had better listen to a disgruntled customer who had recently dropped $6900 with them. He replied "DO YOU WANT THE FILTERS OR NOT?" I said no and he became even more rude, flippant, provoking and basically called me a liar.

I have filed a complaint with the BBB based on their deceitful selling practices. It is currently unresolved. In Aqua Clear's response to my claim, IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, they make tons of false accusations that they asked me to come in for training and I never did. I have already told my side of the story in the narrative above regarding that matter. They make claims that I supposedly did the same to the other company I discussed going to work for. False. They say I should have known that there is maintenance and upkeep on my system just like with a car. The problem with that is that I did not walk into their office and ask to buy a $6900 water system. They came into my home uninvited under false pretenses to sell me this thing. It should be imperative upon them to explain to me at some point that this system requires about $300 a year in maintenance. That would have weighed heavily in my decision making process. I asked this question during the sales pitch but the salesman deftly glossed over this and said I would have to buy a few $5 bags of salt a year.

Upon further investigation on consumer websites I have seen other claims that they use this "we are only conducting a water survey in your area" ploy as well as leaving flyers at your door stating that some entity is "Attempting to deliver a package" and to call some number to arrange it and I can only guess they show up to pitch their products at that point.

This is my story. I have no history of unethical behavior. I worked for a very large company for over 13 years and had a stellar work record. I was laid off with many others because of economic factors. I became a modestly paid firefighter because I like to help people in need. I recently procured a part time job at a large home improvement warehouse. However I am still slowly sinking financially and this $130 a month payment I am making is just another anchor around my neck that I certainly don't need.
I have absolutely no pattern of making rash and impulsive luxury purchases like this. My home still has 9 year old builder grade carpet that desperately needs replacing. We have an 8 year old minivan with over 100k miles and a 13 year old Cherokee with 130k miles on it. We do not have a flat screen tv. I just installed a garage door opener after going without for 9 years. Why would I buy a $6900 water system before I installed a $200 garage door opener?... Because I was duped by this company into thinking they were gracious enough to offer me employment around my firefighter schedule and it was going to pay for my water system in no time and provide with me with an income that was going to solve all my problems.

I am certainly complicit in this in that I fell for it hook, line and sinker. I was willing to let this be a harsh lesson learned for me after the original incident but when they came back again recently and tried it on me again I vowed I was going to tell my side of the story as often as I could. Do what you want with this company but ask many many questions and tell them you want documentation of everything and don't be forced into buying on the spot like I was.

There are actually several more details to this story that make my blood boil but I will wrap it up here. If you have had issues with this company please share them here and file complaints with the BBB. Thanks.