Terms of Service

1. Agreement to Terms

Welcome to US Water Grade ("we," "our," or "us"). These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the US Water Grade website located at https://uswatergrade.com (the "Site"), including any content, functionality, and services offered on or through the Site.

By accessing or using the Site, you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy, incorporated herein by reference. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not access or use the Site.

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to the Site. Your continued use of the Site after any changes indicates your acceptance of the modified Terms.

2. Description of Service

US Water Grade provides water quality information, reports, and educational resources based on publicly available data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other government sources. Our services include:

• Water quality scores and grades for U.S. cities
• Contaminant data and violation records from EPA databases
• Educational guides about water quality and filtration
• Water filter recommendations and comparison tools
• Interactive calculators for water-related estimates

The Site is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as health advice, professional consultation, or official government information.

3. User Eligibility

The Site is intended for users who are at least 13 years of age. By using this Site, you represent and warrant that you are at least 13 years old. If you are under 18, you may only use the Site with the involvement of a parent or guardian.

You may not use the Site if you have been previously banned or removed from the Site, or if you are prohibited from using the Site under applicable law.

4. User Responsibilities and Prohibited Conduct

When using US Water Grade, you agree to:

• Use the Site only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms
• Provide accurate information when submitting forms or communicating with us
• Not use the Site in any way that violates any applicable federal, state, local, or international law
• Not attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Site, other accounts, computer systems, or networks connected to the Site
• Not interfere with or disrupt the Site, servers, or networks connected to the Site
• Not use any robot, spider, scraper, or other automated means to access the Site without our prior written permission
• Not introduce any viruses, trojan horses, worms, or other material that is malicious or technologically harmful
• Not attempt to probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of the Site or any related system or network
• Not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or lease any part of our Site or services
• Not misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person or organization

7. Intellectual Property Rights

The Site and its entire contents, features, and functionality (including but not limited to all information, text, graphics, logos, button icons, images, audio clips, data compilations, software, and the design, selection, and arrangement thereof) are owned by US Water Grade, its licensors, or other providers of such material and are protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property or proprietary rights laws.

EPA and public water system data is in the public domain. However, our original analysis, scoring methodology, commentary, design, and presentation of that data are protected intellectual property.

You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the Site for personal, non-commercial purposes. You may not:

• Reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, or republish any content from the Site without prior written permission
• Use any US Water Grade trademarks, logos, or service marks without authorization
• Remove any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices from materials on the Site
• Frame or mirror any part of the Site without express written consent

8. Advertising and Affiliate Disclosure

US Water Grade is supported by advertising revenue and affiliate partnerships. We display advertisements through third-party advertising networks, including Google AdSense.

Some links on this Site may be affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial content, water quality scores, or recommendations.

Third-party advertisers may use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your browsing activities. Please review our Privacy Policy for more information about advertising cookies and how to opt out.

9. Links to Third-Party Websites

The Site may contain links to third-party websites, including government agencies (EPA, state environmental agencies), water utilities, product manufacturers, and other resources. These links are provided for your convenience and information only.

We have no control over the contents of those sites or resources and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them. If you decide to access any third-party websites linked from this Site, you do so entirely at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of use for such websites.

10. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SITE AND ALL INFORMATION, CONTENT, MATERIALS, AND SERVICES PROVIDED ON THE SITE ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

We do not warrant that:

• The Site will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free
• The information on the Site is accurate, complete, reliable, current, or error-free
• Any defects or errors in the Site will be corrected
• The Site or the servers that make it available are free of viruses or other harmful components

Water quality can change over time and may vary from the data presented on this Site. Always consult your local water utility for the most current and official information about your water supply.

11. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL US WATER GRADE, ITS OWNERS, OPERATORS, AFFILIATES, LICENSORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OFFICERS, OR DIRECTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES.

THIS LIMITATION APPLIES TO ANY DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO:

• Your access to or use of (or inability to access or use) the Site
• Any conduct or content of any third party on the Site
• Any content obtained from the Site
• Unauthorized access, use, or alteration of your transmissions or content
• Any health decisions or actions taken based on information on the Site

IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THE SITE EXCEED ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100).

12. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless US Water Grade, its owners, operators, affiliates, licensors, service providers, and their respective officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, suppliers, successors, and assigns from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

• Your violation of these Terms
• Your use of the Site, including any data or content you submit
• Your violation of any third-party right, including any intellectual property or privacy right
• Any claim that your actions caused damage to a third party

13. International Users and GDPR Compliance

US Water Grade is operated from the United States and is primarily intended for users in the United States. If you access the Site from outside the United States, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for compliance with local laws.

For European Union Residents: We comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of Access: Request information about personal data we process about you
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate personal data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request limitation of processing of your personal data
• Right to Data Portability: Receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used format
• Right to Object: Object to processing of your personal data for direct marketing
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing at any time

To exercise these rights, please contact us at legal@uswatergrade.com.

14. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

For California Residents: Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), you have the following rights:

• Right to Know: Request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions
• Right to Opt-Out: Opt out of the "sale" of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights

To exercise your California privacy rights, please contact us at legal@uswatergrade.com with "CCPA Request" in the subject line.

15. Dispute Resolution and Arbitration

Informal Resolution: Before filing any legal claim, you agree to attempt to resolve any dispute informally by contacting us at legal@uswatergrade.com. We will attempt to resolve the dispute informally within 60 days.

Binding Arbitration: If informal resolution fails, any dispute arising from or relating to these Terms or the Site shall be resolved through binding arbitration conducted by a single arbitrator in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitration shall take place in the United States, and judgment on the arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction.

Class Action Waiver: You agree that any arbitration or proceeding shall be limited to the dispute between you and us individually. To the fullest extent permitted by law: (a) no arbitration shall be joined with any other proceeding; (b) there is no right or authority for any dispute to be arbitrated on a class-action basis; and (c) there is no right or authority for any dispute to be brought in a purported representative capacity on behalf of the general public or any other persons.

Exceptions: Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to prevent the actual or threatened infringement of intellectual property rights.

16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and your use of the Site shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

For any matters not subject to arbitration, you agree to submit to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Delaware.

17. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held by a court or arbitrator to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed severable from these Terms and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions.

18. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, Disclaimer, and any other legal notices published on the Site, constitute the entire agreement between you and US Water Grade regarding your use of the Site.

19. Termination

We may terminate or suspend your access to the Site immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason whatsoever, including without limitation if you breach these Terms.

Upon termination, your right to use the Site will immediately cease. All provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall survive termination, including ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.

20. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us: