Water Treatment Savings: Claims and Reality

Optimizing your water treatment program can definitely save you money. We have been dedicated to helping our customers maintain clean and efficient systems since 1978 and we can say with pride that we have saved our customers a lot of money over the past forty-plus years.

Over time, we’ve seen the majority of water treatment companies have the kind of integrity we, and you, can respect. However, like in any arena, it’s important for the buyer to beware, and to critically evaluate the promises made by any vendor. We don’t want you to be misled by empty promises or inflated claims, so here are some ideas on how to be a better consumer of water treatment services.

Beware of Exaggerated Claims

Sometimes, we’ve seen water treatment companies exaggerate the effects of the benefits that their “new” program can bring to the customer.

If you’ve received a bid from a water treatment company, we advise you to take these steps. Make sure you have access to the most recent and accurate data regarding your water use and sewer expenses. Pull together chemical and fuel usage. Gather all utility expenses so you have accurate reference points.

Crunch the Numbers

Look at the numbers being presented to you, and ask some questions. First, do the numbers in the presentation reflect your plant’s usage? We’ve seen presentations that promised water savings which actually exceeded the entire water use for the facility. We have seen promised gas savings which exceeded the gas use for the facility. Next, make sure you understand whether they are proposing actual savings for your specific plant, or if it’s offering numbers for a plant “similar to yours”

We observe best practices at International Chemtex, and we craft custom proposals based on a prospect’s actual operation data. We believe you deserve the same from any vendor.

Proposed costs can be part of the story. Confirm how the numbers they present for savings can be documented and ask if they guaranteed. If the costs are exceeded, who pays. Does the customer make up the difference?

Confirm Equipment Expenses

Make sure you understand what equipment is necessary to launch the new program. The proposal should define the equipment and express the cost clearly. Verify that installation costs are covered, so you don’t face any surprises. For example, adding a $30,000 filter to compliment to a program should not be a surprise addition.

Verify who owns any equipment installed by the company, and whether that equipment is proprietary. If the vendor needs to replaced, could another company take over the control equipment?

Realistic, Documentable Results

In summary, take a close look at promises and ask yourself if they seem realistic. Are savings documentable. If you’re not sure how they will be documented, ask the proposing vendor how they intend to document them. Consider what happens if the promised improvements don’t transpire? Find out what steps each of you take under that circumstance. Ask who owns any control equipment and if it is proprietary. Lastly, if additional equipment or new strategies are pursued to make the initial proposal be viable, verify who is responsible for paying for these.

Chemtex has prided ourselves for over four decades because we combine water treatment expertise with integrity. We hope you’ll enlist the help of your Chemtex water treatment professional to work through proposed treatment plans. The bottom line is that any proposal you’re entertaining needs to be realistic and documentable. We believe you deserve to know and understand the whole picture, and we’ll help you on that venture. Contact us to learn more.