Health Notes: Scammer alert

Beware water-treatment scams, the Minnesota Department of Health warns.

Officials in Richfield and Falcon Heights have reported deceptive sales pitches, false claims and scare tactics being made by some water-treatment companies, the health department said in a news release. High-profile investigations of groundwater contamination in Washington County and elsewhere seem to have prompted an increase in the scams.

Homeowners have reported aggressive pitches for water-treatment systems costing more than $6,000. Some have said or implied they were working with the city’s water utility or the state health department.

If you use city water, it’s safe to drink unless the city directly notifies you differently, the news release said. Well water should be safe if the well is properly constructed, is drawing from a safe aquifer, and has not been flooded or compromised in some other way. The only way to be certain about a private well, however, is to have it tested by a competent water-testing laboratory.

Minnesotans who think they’ve been targeted by scammers are encouraged to call the state Attorney General’s office at (800) 657-3787.

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