Editorial policy

Source-backed, careful, and plainspoken.

Water Quality Lookup explains public drinking-water records without pretending to be a government source, water provider, emergency alert service, or safety authority.

Last updated:
Source-backedNo safety guarantees

The editorial standard is simple: explain what public records say, explain what they do not say, and direct users to official sources for current decisions.

Standards

What the editorial policy requires

These standards are used to keep public water information calm, useful, and source-aware.

  • Use source-backed records and make source limits visible.
  • Prefer official sources over third-party summaries for system, violation, advisory, report, and regulatory claims.
  • Keep public water systems as the core entity. City and state pages are navigation and context layers.
  • Explain missing data instead of turning it into a positive claim.
  • Avoid fear-based copy, filter-sales framing, and unsupported safe or unsafe conclusions.
  • Point readers back to official sources for current notices and decisions.

Review

How records and wording are reviewed

The review process looks at source type, source scope, page purpose, risk wording, and missing-data language.

Water Quality Lookup compiles records published by water providers, cities, and government agencies. Our source checks focus on matching the public water system and PWSID, preserving report years, units and source wording, and making gaps clear. They are not independent laboratory testing, medical review, or certification of the source's findings. The linked provider or agency remains the source for the original record and current instructions.

  1. Check the source category

    Local water-quality, compliance, advisory, and report claims need official or source-close support.

  2. Check what the record can support

    A report link, public record, or source note can be useful without proving current status, address-level service, or household conditions.

  3. Use conservative wording

    When data is limited, the page says so. If a current issue is urgent, the page points readers to official current sources.

  4. Review corrections before changing pages

    Corrections are reviewed against public or official sources before data, source links, or claims are changed.

Monetization

Ads do not set the editorial standard

Advertising may support the site, but ads do not change source hierarchy, data methodology, correction review, or water-quality language.

The site does not strengthen or soften water-quality language to fit an ad, sponsor, affiliate placement, or monetization target.

Trust pages

Related policies

These pages explain corrections, advertising, terms, privacy, sources, methodology, and limitations.

About

What Water Quality Lookup is, what it is not, and how coverage is limited.

View About

Contact

How to reach the site for publisher questions, source tips, and corrections.

View Contact

Privacy

How contact email, Google Tag Manager, and site measurement are handled.

View Privacy

Corrections Policy

How suggested corrections are reviewed against public or official sources.

View Corrections Policy

Advertising Policy

How ads may be used without changing source methodology or water-safety language.

View Advertising Policy

Data Sources

Source categories, source limits, and what source details may appear on pages.

View Data Sources

Methodology

How available public records are summarized and what gaps mean.

View Methodology

Limitations

What the site can and cannot determine from public records.

View Limitations

Suggest an Update

Send source-backed correction details or missing-record notes by email.

View Suggest an Update