New scam circulating has fraudsters offering water testing

The City of Barrie is warning residents of a water testing scam, adding it does not offer those services.

Another day, another scam. Don’t fall for this latest one.

The City of Barrie is warning residents of the most recent scam circulating the region where fraudsters claim to be City officials and contact residents to offer water testing services.

The City says it does not call people to offer water testing. It also does not authorize third-party companies to carry out water testing operations on its behalf.

Barrie gets it drinking water from both groundwater from a deep aquifer and surface water from Kempenfelt Bay. The City says the water is treated to protect public health before it gets to a person’s mouth.

Residents in Barrie don’t need to test their water for safety as it meets all provincial safety standards, according to a 2025 release.

The City says it uses a comprehensive treatment and distribution system to create safe and reliable tap water. The City does regular testing to make sure it complies with Ontario’s Safe Drinking Water Act, which is regulated by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks.

For more details on water in Barrie, you can go to the City of Barrie website.