Antioch residents warn against door-to-door tap water scam

(KRON) — Antioch officials said scammers are duping residents by showing up at their doorstep and claiming to be city employees who need to test their water quality.

According to officials, the individuals go door-to-door “falsely claiming that the city’s tap water is unsafe in an attempt to sell high-cost water filtration systems.”

One homeowner recently reported a scammer provided a fake water test result showing “13 cancer-causing contaminants” before trying to pressure them into buying a reverse osmosis system. The scammer then became “aggressive” when the resident didn’t hand over personal information.

“These individuals are not associated with the City of Antioch, or our Water Department,” said Ivona Kagin of the City of Antioch’s Water Treatment Plant. “Tap water is tightly regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. We want to reassure residents that Antioch’s drinking water meets or exceeds all federal and state requirements. If your water becomes unsafe to drink, the City of Antich will notify you and provide information on how to protect yourself.”

Kagin also reminded residents that real city employees will schedule home visits in advance, never show up unannounced and always provide proper identification.

Antioch residents are urged to keep these safety guidelines in mind:

• Do not allow unverified individuals into your home.
• Always ask for official identification.
• Look for a City of Antioch badge and marked city vehicle.
• Call the Water Department at (925) 779-7060 to confirm if someone is a city employee.
• Report aggressive or suspicious activity to the Antioch Police Department.

City officials encourage residents to check the status of Antioch’s drinking water in its annual Consumer Confidence Report.