Phoney sales pitches prompt City warning

The City of Ottawa is warning residents to be vigilant of door-to-door salespeople making false claims about the quality of City drinking water.

The City has received complaints from residents who have been contacted by vendors selling water-filtration or treatment systems and providing incorrect information about water quality. The City reminds residents that Ottawa’s drinking water undergoes rigorous, ongoing testing to ensure it is completely safe and of the highest quality.

Residents are reminded that:

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City employees do not contact residents to sell products or services.

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Except for emergency situations, any visits that may require access to homes or businesses by City staff are scheduled in advance.

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Residents are provided with advance notice of projects that may impact them.

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All employees requesting access to homes have City-issued photo identification cards.

Residents who are directly contacted by individuals claiming to be City employees for City business are advised to check identification and, if concerns remain, contact the City prior to allowing access. The City asks that residents report any suspicious, unsolicited calls or visits to the Ottawa Police Service .

The drinking water delivered to City residents exceeds all federal and provincial health-based water-quality guidelines and standards. Ottawa’s drinking water has already been rated by Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change as being among the safest in the world. The results of the City’s extensive drinking water quality analysis program are posted on ottawa.ca .