American Water Surveyors

Complaint: [redacted] I am rejecting this response because: He makes is sound like I should be so grateful that he charged less, now that he was already in NC than coming from TX Also that he fit me in his schedule while he was in my state Both business practices and not anything out of the ordinary He did tell me on the phone he would be able to tell me if they had located water while they were here, but not exact specifics until he read the collected data at his base.The problem is: While he was here he said he had located water, and his report said he did not While he was here, he felt good about the water he had located, and so stated there was no need to do more than the minimum four test sites Actual reports say no water (0-gallons per minute) is a dry well, is not worth drilling for Two of the four sites were not clear when he was here, but he said he would be able to clear that up when he was processing the data and there was no need to retake those tests Report say not readable because of interference He chose the test sites, and knew where all power lines were He said the solid rock would not be a problem as long as he could get the probes in far enough When doing the tests he said they were in far enough and the solid rock is not a problem, it is rocky soil that has more than 30% stone that is not readable Regards, [redacted]

Hi [redacted] First let me say on 11/21/CUSTOMER contacted our company at 8:37am via email requesting information about our servicesThis is what she wrote, "We have been using a spring for the last years on our farm Drilled a well years ago that produced one gallon every minutes of sulfur water Having been using a spring for our farm since then With the extended drought that is going on here in NC, the spring is almost dried up and we are looking at trying another drilled well Located on solid granite with a 2-foot dirt depth cover Is your service applicable for us? On 11/21/at 9:am, in addition to other information I responded with the following, "Hi CUSTOMER, thank you for your inquiryOur technology uses a seismic impact on the surface which creates an electrical impulse that we capture and analyzeWe call this a "sounding"When we do a ground water survey our minimum for travel to North Carolina is eight soundings and we normally charge $3,Consider these eight soundings would be conducted in two separate areas of your property, or concentrated in a single areaAs an example and relative to the cost of drilling a test well which could cost as much as $1,000-$2,each, you could get the equivalent of eight test wells for $3,However, if you have some flexibility on scheduling and wanted to do a four sounding minimum the next time we're in the area, we could do it for you for $1,We do not charge for our travel to the site and no tax is charged for a surveyIf you would like to watch a video to see how we collect data, you can click this link [redacted] The soundings are spaced about feet apart within each group of fourSurface conditions cannot be very rocky (less than 30% is ideal) and allow for four copper clad ground rods to be inserted into the ground about three feet deep with good, native soil contactBecause our equipment is very sensitive to electrical activity we can be no closer than feet from underground or overhead power sourcesAdditionally we need clear access for our pickup truck to be able to drive to each sounding locationIf you decided to hire our services we will do several hours of research prior to coming to your propertyFor instance we investigate other wells that have been drilled in the area and try and find out what depth they were drilled to and how many gallons per minute they producedWe plot these wells on a topographical map program so that we can see where they are located in relationship to the property you want surveyedWe also study the geology and any aquifer maps of the area.We would like to do test soundings at an existing well (perhaps a neighbor's) to calibrate our equipment to your geographical areaDepth and yield would need to be known and we would need to be able to drive within about feet of the wellThe well would need to be within a mile of the area to be surveyedThis gives us an idea of what to expect in terms of the geology of the area and to get a base line reading for our equipment in similar subsoil conditionsIt's not critical, but we like to do it whenever we canNo damage or harm to the well will take placeThere is no charge for this.After the site survey is complete and the data is analyzed and interpreted, a comprehensive written report will be mailed to you within business days (possibly slightly longer depending on scope of work in the field) showing what was found at each sounding location so you can make a confident decision on whether or not to drillIf water is located we'll give you the approximate depth and yield range you could expect if you drilled at one of the sounding locationsIf you required a report in less than business days, expedited reports are an additional 20% of the overall charge for the soundingsIf you're not in a hurry to receive the results, this would not be necessaryFull payment would be required before we departed the site and/or before final reports are released.I never heard back from CUSTOMER, so I emailed her on April with the following, "Hello CUSTOMER, I hope you are doing wellYou and I communicated last fall about our groundwater surveying services for your property in North CarolinaI wanted to let you know we have two surveys scheduled in North Carolina the week of May 22, so I wanted to check in with you again to see if you would like to take advantage of us being in your area and get on our scheduleAs I mentioned in my earlier email if you have some flexibility on scheduling and wanted to do a four sounding minimum the next time we're in the area we could do it for you for $1,If you decide to move forward, please advise as soon as possible so I can get you on the scheduleI intend to contact other potential clients in the Carolinas who asked me to let them know when we will be in the area so that week may become full rather quickly."If you have no further interest, please advise and we will respect your privacy and remove you from our contact listOr, if you still have an interest and wish to schedule a survey at some later date we would appreciate the opportunity to provide our servicesThank you.On May while I'm on the road to do multiple surveys in the southeast, I receive an email from CUSTOMER which read, "I had misplaced this email and just found it againI am still interested but need to know before we begin If only a 3' to 5' ground cover over solid granite, will your sounding find water located in the rock? If your surveying crew does not read their results at the time they are taking the soundings, they would be long gone before we found out there may be no water in the surveyed area Which means we would not be able to take additional sounding somewhere else on the farm at that time?On May at 5:53pm I called CUSTOMER and talked for minutes to explain we don't have the ability to assess the data completely while at her property other than yes we see a signal that indicates groundwater or no we don'tI told her if we didn't see a signal at each of the four soundings (data collection spots) she could make a decision at that time if wanted us to do more soundingsShe decided to she wanted us to do her surveyI completely rearranged my schedule to accommodate her and did her survey on May 24thOn May 24th when we did her survey, we encountered very rocky surface conditions in the area she wanted the survey conductedInstead of 3-feet deep, it was more like 18"-24" on the first sounding we didIn the email I sent her on 11/21/we clearly state in bold print, "Surface conditions cannot be very rocky (less than 30% is ideal) and allow for four copper clad ground rods to be inserted into the ground about three feet deep with good, native soil contactBecause our equipment is very sensitive to electrical activity we can be no closer than feet from underground or overhead power sourcesShe also had overhead power lines that affected our dataBecause of these conditions, our report read on two of her four soundings, "the data was inconclusive due to unfavorable surface conditions and electrical interference"On June 26th at 8:am I received an email from CUSTOMER stating, "I can't tell you how disappointed I am in the report you sent from your surveyYour online information says you do the testing and then mail back the results In our phone call, before I agreed to the survey, we discussed if you could tell at the time of the tests if water was found in the test area or not You said that you could identify water on site at the time of the tests, but the final more exact results would be mailed within the time specified I knew going in what the initial cost would be and if the first four sites did not show water it would cost more to test more sites I agreed knowing we would find water somewhere on this farm before you leftAfter some equipment malfunction, you tested four sites, 1-(VM1) At the time, you seemed satisfied with sites and as having water Sites and showed inconclusive but you said not to worry you would be able to filter out the noise when you got back to your base and get more accurate water location information You assured us we had a good amount of water at around feet or so, and we agreed doing more tests were not necessary Your report does not say anything like that It lists results for site and but tests for sites and were worthless.Your report tells me we have rock and no water Did not need a report that cost $to tell us what we already know The report lists 0-gallons a minute possible, and recommends not drilling for anything less than g/m I certainly agree with that, as is called a dry well and g/m is hardly worth the expense of drilling.We paid you to find us water, and none was found So what happens now?On June 26th at 8:31am I called her immediately to discussI NEVER said she had a "good amount of water at feet" nor have I EVER guaranteed we could find waterThere are places where there is just no water to be found and that was the caseWe collected data next to her neighbor's well that had known depth (32') and yield (6gallons per minute) (we call this calibration) and that data clearly identifies an aquifer that CUSTOMER'S data did not identify.To summarize, we do not make assessments or promises in the field and clearly state what conditions we requireAttached you will find our one page agreement the CUSTOMER signed as well as her final reportWe find the CUSTOMER'S claim unfounded.Regards, [redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:  He makes is sound like I should be so grateful that he charged less, now that he was already in NC than coming from TX.  Also that he fit me in his schedule while he was in my state.  Both normal business practices and not anything out of the ordinary.  He did tell me on the phone he would be able to tell me if they had located water while they were here, but not exact specifics until he read the collected data at his base.The problem is:  While he was here he said he had located water, and his report said he did not.                        While he was here, he felt good about the water he had located, and so stated there was no need to do more than the minimum four test sites.  Actual reports say no water (0-3 gallons per minute).  0 is a dry well, 3 is not worth drilling for.                        Two of the four sites were not clear when he was here, but he said he would be able to clear that up when he was processing the data and there was no need to retake those tests.  Report say not readable because of interference.  He chose the test sites, and knew where all power lines were.                        He said the solid rock would not be a problem as long as he could get the probes in far enough.  When doing the tests he said they were in far enough and the solid rock is not a problem, it is rocky soil that has more than 30% stone that is not readable.
Regards,
[redacted]

Hi [redacted]. First let me say on 11/21/16 CUSTOMER contacted our company at 8:37am via email requesting information about our services. This is what she wrote, "We have been using a spring for the last 30 years on our farm.  Drilled a well 30 years ago that produced one gallon every 10 minutes of...

sulfur water.  Having been using a spring for our farm since then.  With the extended drought that is going on here in NC, the spring is almost dried up and we are looking at trying another drilled well.  Located on solid granite with a 2-5 foot dirt depth cover.  Is your service applicable for us?  On 11/21/16 at 9:11 am, in addition to other information I responded with the following, "Hi CUSTOMER, thank you for your inquiry. Our technology uses a seismic impact on the surface which creates an electrical impulse that we capture and analyze. We call this a "sounding". When we do a ground water survey our minimum for travel to North Carolina is eight soundings and we normally charge $3,595. Consider these eight soundings would be conducted in two separate areas of your property, or concentrated in a single area. As an example and relative to the cost of drilling a test well which could cost as much as $1,000-$2,000 each, you could get the equivalent of eight test wells for $3,595. However, if you have some flexibility on scheduling and wanted to do a four sounding minimum the next time we're in the area, we could do it for you for $1,995. We do not charge for our travel to the site and no tax is charged for a survey. If you would like to watch a video to see how we collect data, you can click this link [redacted]The soundings are spaced about 100 feet apart within each group of four. Surface conditions cannot be very rocky (less than 30% is ideal) and allow for four copper clad ground rods to be inserted into the ground about three feet deep with good, native soil contact. Because our equipment is very sensitive to electrical activity we can be no closer than 50 feet from underground or overhead power sources. Additionally we need clear access for our pickup truck to be able to drive to each sounding location. If you decided to hire our services we will do several hours of research prior to coming to your property. For instance we investigate other wells that have been drilled in the area and try and find out what depth they were drilled to and how many gallons per minute they produced. We plot these wells on a topographical map program so that we can see where they are located in relationship to the property you want surveyed. We also study the geology and any aquifer maps of the area.We would like to do test soundings at an existing well (perhaps a neighbor's) to calibrate our equipment to your geographical area. Depth and yield would need to be known and we would need to be able to drive within about 30 feet of the well. The well would need to be within a mile of the area to be surveyed. This gives us an idea of what to expect in terms of the geology of the area and to get a base line reading for our equipment in similar subsoil conditions. It's not critical, but we like to do it whenever we can. No damage or harm to the well will take place. There is no charge for this.After the site survey is complete and the data is analyzed and interpreted, a comprehensive written report will be mailed to you within 15 business days (possibly slightly longer depending on scope of work in the field) showing what was found at each sounding location so you can make a confident decision on whether or not to drill. If water is located we'll give you the approximate depth and yield range you could expect if you drilled at one of the sounding locations. If you required a report in less than 15 business days, expedited reports are an additional 20% of the overall charge for the soundings. If you're not in a hurry to receive the results, this would not be necessary. Full payment would be required before we departed the site and/or before final reports are released.I never heard back from CUSTOMER, so I emailed her on April 9 with the following, "Hello CUSTOMER, I hope you are doing well. You and I communicated last fall about our groundwater surveying services for your property in North Carolina. I wanted to let you know we have two surveys scheduled in North Carolina the week of May 22, so I wanted to check in with you again to see if you would like to take advantage of us being in your area and get on our schedule. As I mentioned in my earlier email if you have some flexibility on scheduling and wanted to do a four sounding minimum the next time we're in the area we could do it for you for $1,995. If you decide to move forward, please advise as soon as possible so I can get you on the schedule. I intend to contact other potential clients in the Carolinas who asked me to let them know when we will be in the area so that week may become full rather quickly."If you have no further interest, please advise and we will respect your privacy and remove you from our contact list. Or, if you still have an interest and wish to schedule a survey at some later date we would appreciate the opportunity to provide our services. Thank you.On May 22 while I'm on the road to do multiple surveys in the southeast, I receive an email from CUSTOMER which read, "I had misplaced this email and just found it again. I am still interested but need to know before we begin.  If only a 3' to 5' ground cover over solid granite, will your sounding find water located in the rock? If your surveying crew does not read their results at the time they are taking the soundings, they would be long gone before we found out there may be no water in the surveyed area.  Which means we would not be able to take additional sounding somewhere else on the farm at that time?On May 22 at 5:53pm I called CUSTOMER and talked for 10 minutes to explain we don't have the ability to assess the data completely while at her property other than yes we see a signal that indicates groundwater or no we don't. I told her if we didn't see a signal at each of the four soundings (data collection spots) she could make a decision at that time if wanted us to do more soundings. She decided to she wanted us to do her survey. I completely rearranged my schedule to accommodate her and did her survey on May 24th. On May 24th when we did her survey, we encountered very rocky surface conditions in the area she wanted the survey conducted. Instead of 3-5 feet deep, it was more like 18"-24" on the first sounding we did. In the email I sent her on 11/21/16 we clearly state in bold print, "Surface conditions cannot be very rocky (less than 30% is ideal) and allow for four copper clad ground rods to be inserted into the ground about three feet deep with good, native soil contact. Because our equipment is very sensitive to electrical activity we can be no closer than 50 feet from underground or overhead power sources. She also had overhead power lines that affected our data. Because of these conditions, our report read on two of her four soundings, "..... the data was inconclusive due to unfavorable surface conditions and electrical interference". On June 26th at 8:11 am I received an email from CUSTOMER stating, "I can't tell you how disappointed I am in the report you sent from your survey. Your online information says you do the testing and then mail back the results.  In our phone call, before I agreed to the survey, we discussed if you could tell at the time of the tests if water was found in the test area or not.  You said that you could identify water on site at the time of the tests, but the final more exact results would be mailed within the time specified.  I knew going in what the initial cost would be and if the first four sites did not show water it would cost more to test more sites.  I agreed knowing we would find water somewhere on this farm before you left. After some equipment malfunction, you tested four sites, 1-4 (VM1).  At the time, you seemed satisfied with sites 1 and 2 as having water.  Sites 3 and 4 showed inconclusive but you said not to worry you would be able to filter out the noise when you got back to your base and get more accurate water location information.  You assured us we had a good amount of water at around 30 feet or so, and we agreed doing more tests were not necessary.  Your report does not say anything like that.  It lists results for site 1 and 2 but tests for sites 3 and 4 were worthless.Your report tells me we have rock and no water.  Did not need a report that cost $1995.00 to tell us what we already know.  The report lists 0-3 gallons a minute possible, and recommends not drilling for anything less than 6 g/m.  I certainly agree with that, as 0 is called a dry well and 3 g/m is hardly worth the expense of drilling.We paid you to find us water, and none was found.  So what happens now?On June 26th at 8:31am I called her immediately to discuss. I NEVER said she had a "good amount of water at 30 feet" nor have I EVER guaranteed we could find water. There are places where there is just no water to be found and that was the case. We collected data next to her neighbor's well that had known depth (32') and yield (6gallons per minute) (we call this calibration) and that data clearly identifies an aquifer that CUSTOMER'S data did not identify.To summarize, we do not make assessments or promises in the field and clearly state what conditions we require. Attached you will find our one page agreement the CUSTOMER signed as well as her final report. We find the CUSTOMER'S claim unfounded.Regards,[redacted]