WQP's Top Water Treatment Dealers 2021

Knoxville, Georgia, is home to DJ Pump Service, a water dealership that was created in 1996. The business caters to residential or commercial properties in Knoxville and Warner Robins, Georgia, offering a wide range of well, pump and irrigation services. These services include pump repairs, well drilling, well repair and general purpose trenching. DJ Pump Service also provides water testing services for both residential and commercial properties.

The pillars of this business are simple. According to the water dealership’s website, experience, professionalism and a hard working attitude are the recipe for success.

Richard Cosnahan is owner and operator of the business, alongside his wife, Dinah. Cosnahan’s background includes starting working for wholesale distribution of water well products right after high school, for about 10 years. His father worked for that same wholesaler his whole life.

In 1996, Cosnahan and his wife formed DJ Pump Service as a well pump service company.

“We started out just doing well pump repair and then we started doing filtration work and yard irrigation work, and that then stayed that way until about 2008,” Cosnahan said. “In 2008, we got into the water well drilling business as well, and it’s kind of the way it has been since then.”

DJ Pump Service currently employs 10 people, who are all described as carrying a team player attitude to drive success forward. Cosnahan considers the team a family of passionate water professionals.

Jerrad Beauchamp

Owner

Beauchamp Water
Treatment Solutions

Brighton, Michigan

Age: 50

From Ford to filtration, William Beauchamp fell into the water industry almost by chance. Yet, what started through curiosity evolved into a multi-generational family business.

“My dad originally got into it back in 1976, and it was basically by error,” Jerrad Beauchamp, William’s Beauchamp’s son recalled. “He was an engineer for Ford, and he was going through a bunch of water softeners and learning a little bit about it and trying to get some good quality water. He eventually ended up getting into the water treatment business in 1976.”

From there, the family developed a long history in the water treatment industry. Jerrad grew up around the water treatment dealership and even recalls installing water softeners when he was around 16 years old. From 1995 to 2014, Jerrad pursued other businesses, but after William retired, Jerrad started Beauchamp Water Treatment Solutions in 2014.

Education: High school and trade school

Past life: “My family has been involved with water treatment since 1976.”

Professional accomplishments: “Over the past 28 years we have created, launched and owned several successful sister companies employing close to 300 employees.”

Notable project: “In general it’s helping customers find solutions to their service issues at fair, honest pricing with quality products. In addition working with employees and creating successful and enjoyable job positions.”

Favorite thing about the water industry: “Being able to provide a customer with a higher quality of water that they thought previously wasn’t even possible.”

Industry gripe: When asked if he could change one thing about the industry, what would it be, Beauchamp said, “To require a certain level of knowledge or certifications to become a water treatment specialist/company. Many factors need to be taken into consideration in order to properly determine what type of system or systems is required and then what size or sizes are needed to correctly clean certain water.

“Customers often call us after they have spent money in which they thought they got a great deal from a plumber, big box store or bought something online only to find out the person they bought it from can’t or won’t service the unit and in most cases they were even sold the wrong equipment resulting in wasted money.”

Greatest influence: “My father William Beauchamp. From a young age myself and all my brothers worked in our family business and my dad taught us all never to give up, always treat people how you would want to be treated and always be honest and fair.”

Hobbies: “Working lol.”

Hidden talent: “Finding solutions to any issue or product.”

Surprising fact: “I enjoy taking extended trips with my family seeing the beautiful places and destinations the U.S. has to offer.”

Giving back: “We are very involved with all types of donations and sponsorships and we enjoy being part of the events that all the surrounding communities do.”

In five years: “Continuing to grow our business with my family and staff.”

Words of wisdom: “Surround yourself with great suppliers/vendors and employees and treat your customer how you would expect to be treated yourself.”

Ken Crisp

President

Crisp Water Technologies Inc.

Missoula, Montana

Age: 64

Nestled between mountains and peaks in western Montana, Crisp Water Technologies Inc. is dedicated to environmental protection and sustainable growth. Based in Missoula, Montana, Crisp Water Technologies, along with the business’ lab division – Water Technologies Laboratory – covers a wide service area across the vast state of Montana as well as a range of contaminant concerns. The business was launched in February 1992, when owner Ken Crisp was a 34-year-old single parent of two young children, ages 7 and 4.

Education: K-64

Professional certification: Crisp is a certified water operator and water laboratory technician, as well as a Hydrotech certified water treatment specialist and Viqua certified UV installer.

Past life: Crisp has long been entrenched in the water industry. When asked what he did prior to entering the industry he said, “Tough question. I entered this industry my junior year of high school. [Before] mowed lawns, etc.”

Professional accomplishments: He has a lengthy list of professional accomplishments, including designing and installing water treatment equipment for bottled water plants and hospitals, as well as developing a public water supply management program for more than 100 community water systems.

Notable project: “Building a water treatment purification facility for a spring fed public water supply using a combination of ultra-filtration, chlorination, ultraviolet light, automation, digital monitoring and human machine interface with auto-remote start backup external electric generation,” Crisp said regarding his most memorable project. “This project was my first large multi-treatment purification facility I built. It was a very exciting job that challenged my knowledge as a water specialist and water treatment business owner.”

Favorite thing about the water industry: Crisp’s favorite part of being in the water industry is “being able to help people with their water problems by using my knowledge, experience and passion,” he said. “It is very rewarding to help educate people and share my expertise to solve water issues. I love to give back to my community.”

Industry gripe: “I think that the water industry has started to be more about sales and money instead of about education and helping people. There is a trend to push water dealers into classes about ‘how to sell’ and sales techniques instead of how to test water, what to test for, what to look for and how to treat different water problems. Educating yourself in proper testing and treatment methods should be the priority and then sales will naturally fall into place. Nowadays more than ever, pushy salespeople are only hurting this industry. Sell what the customer needs, not whatever you can get them to buy.”

Greatest influence: “My Dad. He taught me from a very young age that it doesn’t matter where you work, or how much money you make as long as what you are doing for a living is rewarding, fulfilling and fun.”

Hobbies: His hobbies include gardening, biking, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Hidden talent: “I can find four-leaf clovers most anytime.”

Surprising fact: “That I’m an amazing cook.”

Giving back: “I started a foundation for those who can’t afford necessary water treatment equipment.”

In five years: “Continuing to help people with their water questions and needs. To be on more water quality boards and committees than I am on now, and continue to educate people on the importance of water quality, watershed protection and availability.”

Words of wisdom: “Don’t get into this industry just to make money. You may be able to make a good living but if you are not passionate about water and helping people, you probably won’t be satisfied even if you do get rich doing it. Strive to learn everything you can about water, read all of the magazines and articles about water you can find. Soak in all of the knowledge and strive to be the guy people want to call about anything to do with water. Love what you do and you will never have to go to work again.”

Ernesto Varela Jr.

Owner, Rainbow Water Purification

Houston, Texas

Age: 64

Launched in 1999, Rainbow Water Purification is a family-owned business and its values reflect that. The dealership’s founder, Ernesto Varela, had a background as a welder for a company that made pressure vessels for water softeners. When the company was about to close in the early 1980’s, he went to work for another employee who was launching his own business in the water treatment industry. Twenty years later, however, when Ernesto’s three sons – Giovanni, Levi and Bryan – were set to graduate from high school soon, Ernesto took the plunge and opened Rainbow Water Purification. The business now has eight employees, four of which are family.

Education: “25 years of continuous water treatment education.”

Professional certification: “Water Treatment Specialist Class 3.”

Past life: “Shop Welder for ASME Pressure Vessels.”

Professional accomplishments: “Open and operated a successful family business.”

Notable project: “Servicing and maintaining multiple commercial water softener systems for the U.S. Government.”

Favorite thing about the water industry: “I’m able to teach my sons the in and outs of the commercial water softening industry.”

Greatest influence: “My father, because without him I wouldn’t be able to teach my sons the water softening industry.”

Hobbies: “Spending time with my family.”

Hidden talent: “I like to invent special tools.”

Surprising fact: “I never ask for a personal or business loan!”

Giving back: “Sponsoring and supporting causes that help the community grow.”

In five years: “Inventing tools to easily service and repair water softener control valves and writing a maintenance book on maintaining water softener systems.”

Words of wisdom: “Always evolve and grow with in your industry.”

Trent Stumbaugh

Negley’s Water

Greencastle, Pennsylvania

Negley’s Well Drilling Inc. got its start in 1979, first focusing on well drilling and then growing to serve water treatment needs for customers throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia.

Trent Stumbaugh, current vice president of water treatment at Negley’s Water, entered the water industry in 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Pennsylvania’s Dickinson College under his belt. A friend of his, Dustin Negley, was part of Negley’s Well Drilling Inc. team in Newburg, Pennsylvania, which was considering expanding its services to the well water treatment industry.

Stumbaugh was recruited and then on-boarded onto Negley’s Well Drilling team in 2004, helping the team build a water treatment program alongside the well drilling business. Negley’s Well Drilling Inc. has since changed its name to Negley’s Water, which has four locations (with a soon to be fifth) and a total of 30 water treatment team members.

A core value of the business that makes it so successful, Stumbaugh said, is the team-player attitude employees maintain. Mutual respect and cooperation between the team’s employees keep Negley’s Water running smoothly and focused on the task at hand, serving and educating its customers.

Negley’s Water addresses water quality needs such as access to more water, higher water pressure, water testing, contaminant removal, water softening and more. Hardness, iron and sulfur are also key contaminants the business faces.

Eric Foronjy

SLOwater

Los Osos, California

Eric Foronjy is sales manager for SLOwater, which was founded in 1999 by his father, Richard Foronjy. The water dealership is centrally located in Los Osos, California, servicing the entire Central Coast with Hague Water Quality water softening and filtration equipment.

Eric joined the team in 2001, taking over sales, marketing and operations, and eventually bringing his wife Erika into the business to manage the dealership’s payroll and bookkeeping. He has been operating the business for the last 10 years.

Currently, there are 12 employees on the team of factory-trained service professionals that cover both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.

SLOwater’s market segment breakdown is about 95% residential and 5% commercial. In the case of commercial water, however, “if something commercial falls into our lap, we’ll handle it,” Eric said.

The most prevalent water quality issue the dealership faces is hard water. Municipal water often has chloramine or chlorine, so filtration systems are installed to remove them.

“We also have quite a bit of silica in our water around here. It’s not something that most people are aware of, or some people find it really problematic and others either don’t see the issue or don’t complain about them,” Eric said. “So we’ve been doing treatment systems to deal with silica as well, and we typically use reverse osmosis (RO) to do that.”

In addition to the normal softening services the water dealership offers, the team focuses on whole-house RO systems, with an emphasis on zero wastewater.

Gary Slater

Ecowater Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia, CA

What makes Ecowater Nova Scotia Ltd. (CA) unique?

“My own personal input into it,” Gary Slater, president and owner for Ecowater Nova Scotia said. “I really want to make sure that before something goes out the door everything is touched upon and tested. I think that personal piece that I put into it [makes the business unique].”

Prior to starting his own business in 2000, Slater had experience in other sectors of the water industry. He worked for the Halifax Regional Water Commision as an operator for five years, received his certification in public drinking water systems and worked with the Department of National Defense in water/wastewater management and swimming pool treatment, before shifting his focus to residential/commercial water treatment. After working for another local dealership, Slater then moved on to open his own company and launched Ecowater Nova Scotia. From there, the business really took off.

“The company grew and grew from $100,000 to a million dollars a year, or very close,” Slater said. “There were only three people at that time. We cover a large territory and all the problems of Nova Scotia.”

Slater said his background with the Department of Natural Defense and Halifax Water Commission has helped inform his current work, and he is able to take some of that previous knowledge and apply it on a smaller scale. Ecowater Nova Scotia covers a large service territory, and approximately 80% of the business serves residential customers while 20% serves commercial customers, Slater estimated. While Ecowater Nova Scotia faces a diverse array of contaminants, Slater is known for his ability to treat extreme arsenic, he said.

“I’ve been called the ‘arsenic guru,’” Slater said. “I’m just not afraid to dive into something. We’ve got levels up to 1,300 micrograms.”