CWQA Position Statement

Consumer Information

CWQA Position:

In response to legislative initiatives at the provincial and federal level to regulate the Point-of-Use Water Quality Improvement Industry concerning consumer protection against false and misleading product claims, CWQA encourages enforcement of the existing provincial consumer protection laws and the federal Competition Act and favours educating the consumer. Furthermore, CWQA opposes mandated product testing because it will not solve consumer protection language and mechanism which informs the consumer to make an educated decision without overburdening the industry with labeling requirements and performance claim verification. CWQA will strive to limit verification of performance claims to health contaminants only, not aesthetics. CWQA will proceed in a pro-active mode.

Summary:

The basis for provincial and federal legislation/regulation is caused by inaccurate and misleading advertising. Provincial and federal agencies want to insure that adequate information is given to the consumer so that they may make an educated decision when comparing products on the market.

Industry cannot afford to face all provincial and federal ways to inform the consumer of product claims and different ways to test and/or report technical data to substantiate product performance claims. Mandated product testing will do little to protect the consumer and will not prevent the alleged unscrupulous salesperson from continuing to use misleading sales tactics.

In essence, government agencies may be providing more credibility to these companies by “approving” the units. CWQA maintains that consumer education is vital and, if necessary, inform the consumer via a “Performance Data Sheet” which includes the company’s name, address and telephone number; brand name influent challenge; MCL level; effluent level; capacity; flow rate; operational temperature; electrical requirements; maintenance procedures and recommended replacement frequencies. The Performance Data Sheet is either in or on the unit or its packaging and is made available to the consumer prior to consummation of the sale.