Statements & Supporting Evidence
Consumer Notice: Documented experience with Amber Water Pros (Amber Wells)
I’m sharing this information to warn homeowners and industry professionals and to encourage careful documentation in construction and site-work disputes.
For multiple years, I had an extensive and positive business relationship with Amber, involving numerous projects totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. Amber also installed a $40,000+ well/water treatment system at my personal residence. Prior to the dispute below, our interactions were consistently professional and dispute-free.
“Right of reply” / correction policy - If someone believes something is inaccurate, here’s how to request a correction:
Mon, Feb 6, 2023 –
URD: Underground 200-amp electrical service was installed and backfilled. The service location was evident throughout the project and was marked with tracing tape for safety and future locate services. See attached photos showing the installed electrical service, tracing tape (to help locate/identify the buried line), and the noted deviation. [Photo to left].
Tue, Mar 14, 2023 –
National Grid Municipal Wire Inspection was cleared. Clearance was received to proceed to the next step—meter installation—once all other prerequisites were satisfied. See attached correspondence from National Grid Automated Client Services. [Work Request 30708859 (Thank You) - Manlius NY 13104_Redacted].
Wed, Apr 19, 2023 –
National Grid connected power to the structure – energizing the underground electrical service. See attached automated response from National Grid. [Work Request 30708859 (Thank You) - Manlius NY 13104_Redacted].
Thu, Apr 20, 2023 –
Amber Water Pros first mobilized to the site after the underground electrical service had already been installed, inspected/cleared, energized, and marked/identified (see timeline above). On this date, Amber Water Pros drilled the well in close proximity to the construction driveway due to wet site conditions. The underground electrical service route and the deviated/depressed trench were visible and evident from the well drilling location. See attached invoice. [Invoice 23-0473 - Amber Water Pros - 4.20.23_Redacted]
Wed, Aug 23, 2023 –
Per the timeline above regarding installation and marking of the underground electrical line (see referenced photo evidence showing the buried service was clearly evident), an Amber Water Pros operator struck the energized underground power service, rendering the service unusable. National Grid responded, along with the Fire Department, to confirm there was no extension of fire hazard to the newly constructed structure. No injuries were reported on the job site.
Key factual note for readers: Because the underground service had been previously installed, energized, and marked with tracing tape, the wire location should have been identified and documented prior to excavation, including verification of the route and confirmation of safe digging limits.
Fri, Sep 15, 2023 –
The damaged electrical service conductors were excavated, removed, and replaced. The replacement work was inspected by a third-party electrical inspection agency, and approval was issued for backfill. Following the damage to the electric line—and throughout the repair process—Amber and I remained in regular contact, and it appeared that both parties were aligned on the scope of repair and next steps.
Mon, Oct 2, 2023 –
National Grid Re-connected the replaced wire.
Mon, Nov 6, 2023 –
An informal phone conversation with Jesse Monette and Claire Forster occurred to discuss the situation and the fairness of the outcome. During this call, we discussed that, in the interest of fairness and maintaining an equitable working relationship—given that, prior to this occurrence, no issues had arisen over the course of years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in paid and completed work—I would back-charge Amber Water Pros only the actual costs incurred to replace the service wire damaged by their operations. See attached letter sent to Amber Water Pros and the related invoices for corrective work addressing the damage.
Tue, Nov 7, 2023 –
To memorialize and confirm the prior phone discussion, I sent a formal letter documenting the circumstances. After receipt of the final invoices related to the repair work, Foundation issued written notice on November 7, 2023, itemizing the actual costs incurred to correct the damage and advising that these amounts would be deducted from the outstanding invoice Amber Water Pros asserted was due for this project.
To solidify our phone conversation, I sent a formal letter to memorialize the circumstances. Upon receiving the final invoices related to the repair work, Foundation provided Amber with a formal written letter on November 7, 2023, outlining the costs and confirming that such amounts would be deducted from the outstanding invoice Amber claimed to be due related to the project. See letter delivered to Amber Water Pros via email along with related invoices as a result of the damage they caused. [Letter to Amber Water Pros Damage_Redacted, Invoice 022354 - RES-COM - 9.15.23_Redacted, Invoice 022354 - RES-COM - 9.15.23_Redacted, Invoice 23-1195- Amber Water Pros - 8.30.23_Redacted, Claire Forster Amber Water Pros - Invoice Request_Redacted]
Mon, Nov 11, 2023 -
Amber Water Pros received and cashed the check and subsequently requested additional documentation in order to submit the matter to their insurance carrier. Based on this course of conduct—receipt of payment, negotiation of the check, and the follow-up request for insurance documentation—we reasonably believed the matter was being handled through their insurer and was otherwise resolved. See attached cashed check. [BUSINESS FREEDOM CHECKING_Redacted]
Fri, Dec 22, 2023 -
I received an unexpected call from Amber Water Pros’ insurance carrier, Ashley Pepperday (Selective), regarding a claim tied to the same damages. This call came as a surprise given the prior communications, the formal letter memorializing the agreed back-charge/offset, and the supporting invoices that had already been provided. I understand the claim was ultimately denied. Following that denial, I was not aware of any continuing dispute related to this matter until Amber filed a summons and complaint seeking $3,900.00, as though the prior offset/payment had not occurred. See attached email correspondence from Selective on behalf of Amber Water Pros. [Selective Insurance Company of America - Pepperday_Redacted; Email from Amber Water Pros - Jesse M. Claim# 22567916_Redacted] .
Fri, Apr 26, 2024 -
Amber Water Pros filed a lien against my personal residence. That lien was improperly filed and was subsequently removed by Amber’s counsel, Edward Y. Crossmore of Crossmore & Tiffany Law Office, PLLC. As a result, I was required to engage my own legal counsel in an effort to resolve this matter amicably; however, despite good-faith efforts over several months, an informal resolution proved impossible. After months of attempted amicable resolution, Amber Water Pros elected to proceed with a formal lawsuit seeking $3,900.00.
Thu, Dec 18, 2025 –
The dispute ultimately proceeded to arbitration, where Amber Water Pros was awarded the original claimed balance. Based on my understanding, Amber’s position prevailed largely because the parties’ written documentation consisted primarily of Amber’s estimate/contract, and my November 7, 2023 letter did not include the legally required “magic language” necessary to constitute a full accord and satisfaction of the invoice.
Of particular note, Amber’s estimate/contract includes a clause asserting that Amber bears no responsibility for damaging the customer’s property. In practice, this left limited written leverage even after good-faith efforts to mitigate costs for both parties and resolve the matter fairly and equitably. After Amber’s insurance carrier, Selective Insurance Company of America, denied coverage, Amber chose to escalate the dispute and effectively dismantle a long-term working relationship over approximately $3,900 (±).
I have since amended my company’s processes and documentation to avoid this outcome going forward; however, other business owners and homeowners may fall into a similar trap—particularly where there is a history of positive dealings, no prior disputes, and a reasonable belief that the matter had already been fairly resolved. [Amber Water Pros - Signed Estimate_Redacted]
Bottom line:
While approximately $3,900 (±) may not be a significant amount in the context of many business operations, it may be a meaningful amount to prospective clients evaluating whether to engage Amber Water Pros in the future—particularly when the underlying issue involves damage to another party’s property and a safety-critical utility.
As a matter of common sense, ethics, and basic responsibility, when one party damages another’s property, the expectation is that the responsible party will take accountability—especially after acknowledging the issue and agreeing to move forward without pursuing additional costs beyond the documented, actual repair expenses. The invoices I provided reflected real costs our firm incurred as a direct result of Amber Water Pros’ negligence.
Bottom line: While ~$3,900 is certainly a lot of money, I simply do not understand Amber’s actions. Amber acknowledged the proposed resolution (cashing the check and requesting additional information so they could submit the matter to their insurer) and did not object at any point. Amber then filed a claim with Selective Insurance Company of America related to the same damage, which both acknowledged responsibility and was itself unusual given the relatively small amount of the claim compared to the potential impact on insurance rates. Amber only filed formal action after the insurance claim was denied and thereafter was unwilling to reasonably negotiate to resolve the matter, instead pushing the dispute through an arbitration hearing despite these circumstances. If I were in their position, I would have been thankful no one was hurt—given the incident involved an energized underground electrical service—and I would have viewed $3,900 as a comparatively “best-case” outcome. Instead, Amber chose a path that effectively burned a long-standing business relationship over this amount.
Takeaway: Document everything. Confirm responsibility for any damage in writing. Retain all invoices, photos, and communications. Be explicit up front about how disputes, offsets, and releases will be handled.
Disclaimer (Redactions):
Documents posted on this page have been redacted to protect personal privacy and sensitive information, including (as applicable) home addresses, account numbers, utility identifiers, signatures, and other non-public details. Redactions do not change the underlying events or the sequence reflected in the timeline.