Puretec

G13 Hybrid filtered water poisoned and killed my pets within two hours of drinking it. DO NOT RISK YOUR FAMILIES AND YOUR PETS SAFTEY, avoid this filtration system and this untrustworthy company (Puretec) at all costs. My experience with this product and company has gone from bad to terrible, resulting in the death and illness of my pets, and… Read more

myself and my family exposed to toxic contaminant. Puretec is attempting to escape all responsibility dishonestly. See below for a summary of all issues leading to the deaths and illnesses.

Issue 1 : Missing Components - when the plumber came to install the G13 Hybrid it was missing essential components for install and function with unit key and UV power cord missing. Once missing components were supplied, a brand new install was carried out, all pipes, fittings, taps etc connecting to G13 filter were brand new, the rainwater water tank supplying the filter has been in use for under a year. Rainwater going into filter is good quality. Entire system was flushed by plumber to Puretec’s recommended standards.

Issue 2 : Water coming out of G13 Hybrid filter was dirtier than rain water going into it. The G13 Hybrid filtered water left brown gunk that smelt faintly like sewage in my water distiller. Concerned about the contaminant I contacted Puretec

Issue 3 : Purtec suggested I dissemble the filter. Purtec asked if the plumber had checked the filter cartridges while installing and if he hadn’t Purtec told me to disassemble the unit myself. On contacting the plumber, he said that being a brand new unit cartridges should be brand new so he didn’t check them. Plumber advised Purtec should not be suggesting I dissemble the unit myself. That the retail store I purchased it from would need to check the filters for an issue not me. So if I had followed Purtec’s advice I could have voided my warranty.

Issue 4 : Further contaminant - Retail store acted quickly to check filters, sending out their staff member who removed and checked all filters and inspected the brown, smelly gunk that was present in filtered water. The filters looked clean so the toxic contaminant is not apparent on visual inspection. Water samples were taken and I was told I would need to wait 7 days for the results and advised not to use the contaminated filter. So I have a filter unit that cost me over $4000 with install that I am unable to use.

However, after having his hands inside each cartridge the staff member mentioned he had diesel on his hands, further contaminating the unit. Due to this further contamination the retail store fitted new filter cartridges and did a thorough flush of the unit. They assured me is was now safe to use the filtered water.

Issue 5 : The G13 filtered water killed aquatic pets, bird, made turtle sick within two hours of ingesting it and I have suffered migraine and nose bleeds since ingesting it.

On the advice of the supplier I began using the G13 filtered water. I topped up my water snail breeding tank. I did a 1/3rd water change on one of my turtle tanks, I filled up the bird bath and I distilled drinking water for human use. Within two hours of being in contact with the G13 filtered water a substantial number of my water snails died, the turtle became sick, gasping for air, then stuck on his back once vacated. The water in the bird bath killed the bird that ingested it. (See photo evidence of all claims. A clear oily residue was present in my water distiller not apparent until I went to wipe it out to clean it.

Issue 6 - Purtec dismissed my evidence and concerns, dishonestly, attempting to escape responsibility by blaming me / the store / rare bacteria / my aquarium set up for the contaminant despite evidence indicating the G13 filter contaminant.

I contacted Puretec and the retail store with physical evidence of the oil contaminant, photo evidence of the dead animals, photo evidence of the cloudy contaminated water coming out of the filter, photo and physical evidence of oily residue floating on top of the filtered water, evidence of the pure clean tank water source that supplies the filter. The retail shop said Puretec would contact me.

I was contacted by a Puretec re[presentative claiming to also be a marine biologist. He said he had read my messages and seen the evidence I had sent through.

He said, “In the photo, your living snail's shells look pitted.” I said, “Yes they have been like that for over a year since I went overseas.” What followed was a 51 minute conversation of the Puretec representative attempting to cast blame of the contaminant and dead pets on everything else besides Puretec’s water filter.

Blaming my aquarium conditions for killing the animals, which is illogical considering the dead bird came into no contact with my aquarium water which is indoors and the deaths occur in two seperate tanks within two hours of the animals ingesting the contaminated G13 filtered water.

Then the Puretec representative cast blame on the retail store, indicating it was impossible that it was the filter as their quality checks are thorough and components were also never missing so that too was the retail store. (Unwilling to consider evidence logically)

Then the Puretec representative blamed my tank water for having the contaminant rather than Puretec’s filter. This also makes no logical sense, firstly because the unfiltered tank water has been used before and since with zero ill effects on any animals or people. Secondly, if it was an impurity in my rain water tank then the G13 filter should be removing it, that is exactly what it is designed for, indicating the toxic contaminant is within the filter not my rainwater tank.

Then the Puretec representative blamed it on ‘rare bacteria’ that might be in my tank, saying that the G13 filters UV component is causing a residue from the ‘die off’ of this ‘rare bacteria’ causing the oily substance and contaminant, saying it was actually because the G13 filter was doing a ‘really good job’ of killing bacteria because its UV is so powerful. I asked ‘Would this kill animals, the snails, the bird, make my turtle sick?’ He said ‘No.’ … So again, not a logical suggestion.

The Puretec representative then said, having spoken with me, he considered the contaminant to be ‘a site issue’ rather than a filter issue.

I said ‘My pets have died after ingesting the water from the filter or become sick. The bird died after ingesting the filter’s water. The filtered water is leaving brown, smelly and oily residue on the water distiller. I feel you are dismissing my concerns, dismissing the evidence and attempting to shift responsibility away from Puretec and blame anything else.’

He said if there is a contaminant and if it was Puretec’s issue they would take responsibility. He suggested a chemical flush be done on the system.

Issue 6 - Puretec suggesting, as a solution, doing a chemical flush on my brand new system which puts in further contaminants, introducing further toxins into my water system with the further potential to poison my animals. And this suggested by Puretec representative claiming to be a marine biologist? I said ‘I have no intention of putting any further harmful chemicals into the system that could harm me and my animals.’ He said ‘If it's put in at the correct amounts it shouldn’t harm the animals.’ He gave me a list of things to do, to forward to him including aquarium water tests, water samples of tank and filter water and said he would talk to the retail store. His approach was dismissive of evidence, dismissive of my concerns, intent on avoiding responsibility and completely lacking empathy for the deaths, stress and concerns I had over the contaminated water.

Issue 7 - Puretec Representative lies in an attempt to avoid responsibility for the toxic effects from the G13 water filter. The marine biologist Puretec representative then sent me his summary of our conversation, which untruthfully stated that I said the snail deaths were not from the filter. It stated I said they were actually from me going overseas, that the filter was not to blame. That is a straight out lie from Puretec. In all email correspondence and during the phone conversation I have stated the snail deaths were immediately after coming in contact with the G13 filtered water within two hours. I had also done the water comparisons Puretec asked for, which clearly indicate the toxic oil residue floating on top and cloudy contaminated water coming out of the G13. I have raised these issues with zero response from Puretec at this point. I assume my next course of action will be a formal investigation/complaint considering Puretec’s unethical, dismissive approach.

In summary I chose Puretec’s filter system because it claimed to be the best and guaranteed both exceptionally clean water and great customer care. I have received neither. What I have is a water filtration system that cost me over $4000 that gives toxic contaminated water that has killed my animals and Puretec company doing everything they can to avoid responsibility, even lying unethical behaviour. I had written a previous negative review after the initial brown gunk and smell was discovered and updated it, thinking the problem was fixed with the new filters (before I used the water and before my pets died) Now it won’t give me access when I try to update that review. Preventing access/updates to negative reviews also seems underhanded and dishonest.

I absolutely regret my decision to use this company and brand. I suggest you avoid them at all costs. A big concern is that the toxic contaminant is not apparent on visible inspection, so it can and possibly has gone undetected by anyone who is just using the water without a water distiller making the contaminants visible.

Could not agree more with some reviews out there about Emma form Customer Service. Warranty claim? no worries, new unit on its way I wish all companies had people like Emma in their team. The world would be so much better. Thanks again Emma

Terrible customer service in WA – My Puretec water softner started to fill with water and dissolve the salt. As they have no service technicians in Western Australia they sent me troubleshooting videos and service kits which I was expected to do myself, this includes stripping the whole machine and checking/replacing components. Even the plumber I used for the install called them… Read more

saying it was terrible service as I was expected to pay him to carry out the troubleshooting or do it myself. This has been going for over a year now and I have had to turn off the water to the softner as it just keeps filling up and overflowing out the drain valve