Carol Brzozowski is a freelance writer for Water & Wastes Digest. Brzozowski can be reached at [email protected].
In 2007, Carter Burks founded Carter Water Home Solutions to initiate his desire to make water safer throughout Florida by providing clean water. Burks’ interest in the water treatment industry started in the mid-1990s while learning about what was involved in making potable water serving as an operator of a water treatment plant in Kentucky and developing concerns about the process.
An example of his concern: “Chemicals that are added to the water to make it potable such as chlorine,” says Burks. “Chlorine by-products and trihalomethanes have been linked to cancer. For people who drink chlorinated water, it is up to 93% higher than for those whose water does not contain chlorine.”
Headquartered in Longwood, Florida, with a branch office in Atlanta, Georgia, Carter Water has 50 employees – including contractors – working for the company in both states.
Carter Water focuses on the residential sector.
“Our largest market is Atlanta because of our relationship with Home Depot,” said Burks.
In 2020, Carter Water expanded its services to 20 Home Depot stores in the Atlanta market as an authorized service provider for Puronics.
Two years earlier, Carter Water become an authorized dealer for Puronics, a company with technology based on NASA’s silver ion technology designed to purify the water on space shuttle orbiters.
Puronic’s SilverShield Protection is a filter media that has MicroSilver Bacteriostasis Technology incorporated into the activated carbon to prevent bacteria from growing inside the equipment’s filter media and help reduce odors and bad tasting water.
Carter Water also offers energy solutions such as blown-in and radiant barrier installation and UVC clean air purifiers.
While many companies are having a difficult time hiring employees, Carter Water works hard to improve the way of life in all of its service areas, including that of its employees.
To retain quality employees, Burks said he treats them like family, “making sure they know they are important and paying them well.”
To integrate education and training in the day-to-day work of his business, each day at Carter Water begins with a meeting in the Florida and Georgia offices and includes role-playing as a way of strengthening employees’ skills.
“We utilize Zoom for ongoing training in outer markets.” Burks said. “Ongoing training must happen to keep your team sharp.”
Burks regards Zoom as a helpful tool since the beginning of the COVID pandemic as a way of encouraging his employees to function as a team.
Other successful modifications he’s made include using PandaDoc to ensure less paper being used in his business.
“We are now switching to digital platforms in our service and marketing department,” Burks said.
In the beginning of 2019, Burks established Carter Water Cares, a non-profit to assist those in need.
“We sponsor local charities such as food banks,” says Burks. “I just want to give back and to help those that need it.”
Also in 2019, Burks established ‘Water Talk’, a radio program he hosts that focuses on tap water-related issues throughout the United States.
The program is broadcast at 9 a.m. Saturdays on 105.5 FM in the Orlando market, on iHeart radio and the Florida Man App. ‘Water Talk’ celebrated its 100th episode on March 19.
The weekly broadcast as well as the cutting-edge technology his company offers help Burks’ business stand out.
“Our NASA-incorporated technology is registered with the EPA and joining forces with Home Depot Services in 2020 has given us the creditability that we always needed,” Burks said.
Of his major challenges, Burks notes that “being in Florida, competition is fierce and trying to separate yourself has always been a challenge. COVID has been our greatest mountain to climb. With the fear that some customers have had of someone entering their home and shipping and manufacturing issues, it has been a tough uphill climb.”
Nonetheless, the water treatment industry has been thriving in the past few years, Burks points out, adding that 2021 was his company’s biggest year to date.
“With more people working from home, they spend more time with their tap water,” he reasoned.
Burks pointed out that having a good website is critical to marketing one’s water treatment business.
“People expect to see a good site,” he noted. “If it looks less superior, I feel it makes your company appear less professional and could point someone to someone else.”
In-store and direct mail programs have been the company’s most successful marketing strategies. “We also focus on Google pay-per-click,” Burks adds.
Technological advancements are the biggest changes Burks has noted since he entered the water treatment industry.
“Chemical-free well treatment and on-demand regenerations did not exist in the late 1990s,” he said.
An important factor in keeping up with industry changes and professional networking is an association membership. Burks says he believes association membership is vital, and his company is affiliated with the Water Quality Association through Puronics.
Burks says his regional concerns center on “chlorine levels in our service areas, iron bacteria and newly-emerging contaminants such as PFAS.”
In addressing best management practices of which Burks is especially proud, “we don’t kick the can down the road,” he notes of his company. “We deal with the good and bad as it arises.”
The company’s strategy has paid off. Carter Water has maintained a 4.5 rating with nearly 400 Google reviews by its customers.
Looking ahead, Burks says his company endeavors to “continue to provide excellent customer service and expand to other markets as we grow in our relationship with Home Depot.”
Burks’ take on the future of the industry is that it’s only going to get better.
“Water quality is declining more and more every day,” he said. “New contaminants are being discovered and getting more media attention.”
As such, water quality treatment professionals will be on hand to offer solutions. Burks advises other water quality treatment dealers to stay strong in their values.
“Do not forget why you are doing this,” Burks said.
