Complaint Review: DS Waters of America Inc.

A salesman from DS Waters of America sold me on home bottled water delivery.  He told me Sparklets water was offering new customers a discounted rate for the first year.  I was skeptical and did not want to add yet another expense to my family budget.  After some discussion, I determined that the cost of the delivery roughly equaled what I spent on 2 gallon jugs from my local grocer (and I wouldn't have to climb the stairs to my apartment with water from the store), so I signed up.  I was told I would be charged $19.95 for a bi-monthly delivery of two 5 gallon jugs of water, plus a $6 monthly charge for for the water cooler rental.  A $50 deposit was taken and billed to my account straight away (and the charge would appear as DS Waters of America, Inc.).  I was also told that this $50 would cover my bill for the better part of the first two months.

I started out the first month with the cooler and two 5 gallon jugs, and received my second delivery 14 days later, and all seemed to be as promised.  In the second month, my delivery guy knocked on my door and asked if I had any empty bottles (I had forgotten it was the first delivery day of the new month).  I gave him two empty bottles and he brought me one in return.  I asked him for two (per my contract) and he told me I wouldn't need a second bottle.  I argued with him, but he told me he'd be back in 10 days to deliver again - he didn't return for over two weeks.  I ended up having to buy bottled water from the store just to have fresh water in the house.  I called to complain, and was told I should receive two bottles per delivery regardless of what I put out as empty.  In other words, if I put out one bottle, I get two.  If I put out three bottles, I get two.  This never happened.  I don't have room to store four 5 gallon bottles in my apartment, and I shouldn't have to.  The delivery guy never got this right, despite promises from corporate that he would.  

Then, around the middle of this second month, I saw my bank account had been charged around $40 from DS Waters.  I intended to call right away and inquire, but got side tracked.  I will usually give the benefit of the doubt about whether this was intentional, so I waited to see what I would be charged the following month.  Again, another $40.  This was not the plan I signed up for.  I called to investigate and learned that I was never on any kind of discounted new customer plan.  Customer Service offered to put me on a budget plan for the next billing cycle (approximately $30/mo) for the same order I was currently receiving. What happened to the new customer plan?  And why was the billing at $40/mo the same plan they were now offering at $30/mo?

After another month of the delivery guy bringing a mystery number of bottles, I had finally had it.  I called to complain (with the thought of canceling my service in the back of my mind) and learned that they had still not put me on the new budget plan.  That was it.  I was officially irate!  I asked them to cancel my service and come get their equipment.  Then the woman on the phone told me I would receive credit for only empty bottles they picked up.  I told her I had just received 4 full bottles that morning (when I was only suppose to get 2, remember?), and that they would pick them up, but I would still be charged for the delivery.  Outrageous!  So here I am, tripping over 4 bottles in my hallway (and one on the cooler), and I will have to drink them all before I will receive proper credit.  Once I'm done with these, I will officially cancel my subscription and good riddance.  

Please alert anyone you know not to do business with DS Waters of America!