The Water Map

Privacy Policy & Terms of Service

Last updated: February 2026

Privacy Policy

Information We Collect

When you use TheWaterMap.com, we collect information you provide directly, including your name, email address, shipping address, and payment information necessary to process your order and deliver results.

How We Use Your Information

We use your information solely to: (1) process and fulfill your water testing order, (2) communicate test results and updates, (3) provide customer support, and (4) send occasional service-related communications. We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

Test Results & Sample Data

Your water sample results are confidential and belong to you. Individual results are never shared without your explicit consent.

Public Map & Anonymized Data

We publish anonymized, aggregated data on our public microplastics map to help researchers and the community understand contamination patterns across Los Angeles. Map data is anonymized by zip code only—your exact address, name, and personal details are never displayed or shared. If you do not wish your data to be included in our anonymized map, please contact us before submitting your sample.

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Cookies & Analytics

We use basic analytics to understand how visitors use our website. You may disable cookies in your browser settings, though this may affect site functionality.

Terms of Service

Service Description

TheWaterMap.com provides microplastic visualization services. We analyze water samples using fluorescence microscopy to detect and visualize suspended particulate matter consistent with microplastic morphology. We do NOT test for bacteria, lead, chemicals, pH, or other water quality factors. This is a microplastic visualization service only.

Independent Research Facility

TheWaterMap.com operates as an independent research project, not a certified or accredited laboratory. We are not ISO-certified, EPA-certified, or accredited by any governmental or third-party laboratory accreditation body. Our testing methodology follows peer-reviewed research protocols adapted for independent analysis, but has not been validated or certified by external agencies. Results are provided for informational and educational purposes only and should not be relied upon for regulatory compliance, legal proceedings, or official water quality assessments. If you require certified laboratory testing, please contact an accredited environmental testing laboratory.

Service Availability

This service is currently available in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Pricing, features, and availability are subject to change without notice.

Nile Red Fluorescence Staining — Methodology Limitations

Our testing uses Nile Red fluorescence staining, a well-established screening technique in peer-reviewed environmental science literature. However, it is critical to understand that this method has inherent and significant limitations:

  • Screening test, not definitive identification. Nile Red is a lipophilic fluorescent dye that binds to hydrophobic surfaces. While synthetic polymers (plastics) are strongly hydrophobic and fluoresce brightly, other non-plastic materials can also fluoresce, including certain organic compounds, lipids, waxes, chitin, biofilms, and some mineral particles. Our particle counts may therefore include false positives — particles that fluoresce but are not actually plastic.
  • No polymer-level identification. We do NOT perform FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), Raman spectroscopy, pyrolysis-GC/MS, or any other spectroscopic technique that can confirm the chemical composition of individual particles. We cannot tell you whether a particle is polyethylene, polypropylene, PET, nylon, or any other specific polymer. We can only report that particles exhibited fluorescence consistent with synthetic materials.
  • Variable false positive rates. Published literature reports that Nile Red staining can produce false positive rates ranging from approximately 5% to 30% depending on sample matrix, staining protocol, excitation/emission wavelengths, and particle types present. Our results should be interpreted with this margin of error in mind.
  • Size detection limits. Our optical microscopy setup has a practical lower detection limit. Nanoplastics (particles smaller than 1 micron) and very small microplastics may not be resolved or counted. Our particle counts likely underrepresent the total number of synthetic particles present in your sample.
  • Manual counting subjectivity. Particle counting is performed manually from fluorescence images. Different operators may produce slightly different counts for the same image. We do not use automated particle counting software validated against reference standards.
  • Single time-point snapshot. A 100ml sample collected at one moment represents only that specific instant. Water quality fluctuates based on time of day, water pressure, recent pipe disturbances, seasonal factors, and upstream conditions. A single test cannot characterize your overall water quality.
  • Sample handling chain. Between collection and analysis, samples are subject to shipping, temperature changes, and handling that may affect particle counts. We cannot fully control for contamination introduced after collection.

In summary: our results indicate the presence of particles exhibiting fluorescence characteristics consistent with microplastics. They are NOT a definitive chemical identification of plastic. If you require confirmatory polymer identification, you should engage a laboratory offering FTIR or Raman spectroscopic analysis, which typically costs $500–$1,200+ per sample.

Not Medical Advice

THIS SERVICE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Our tests do NOT constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. We do not provide health assessments or medical guidance. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals for health-related decisions.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, TheWaterMap.com and its owners, operators, employees, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, data, health outcomes, or other intangible losses, arising from: (a) your use of or inability to use our services; (b) any decisions made based on test results; (c) any third-party claims; or (d) any other matter relating to our services.

No Guarantees or Warranties

Our services are provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We do not guarantee that our service will meet your specific requirements or expectations. Test results represent the condition of the specific sample provided at the time of testing and may not reflect water quality at other times or from other sources.

No Safety Determination

We do NOT determine whether your water is “safe” or “unsafe” to drink. We visualize particles. We do not make recommendations about whether you should drink your water, change your filter, or take any other action. Any decisions you make based on your results are solely your responsibility.

Regulatory Disclaimer

No government standard currently exists for “safe” levels of microplastics in drinking water. Our testing methodology is based on peer-reviewed research protocols but is not a certified regulatory test. Results should not be interpreted as compliance or non-compliance with any regulatory standard.

Relative Ranking Methodology

When we categorize samples as “Lower,” “Moderate,” or “Higher” concentration, these labels represent relative comparisons within our own sample database only. A “Higher” reading means the sample contained more particles than most other samples we have tested—it does NOT mean the water is unsafe, dangerous, or violates any health standard. A “Lower” reading means fewer particles relative to our database—it does NOT mean the water is safe, clean, or recommended for drinking. These are statistical rankings, not health assessments. We make no claims about safety thresholds because no such thresholds currently exist in regulatory guidance.

Sample Handling

You are responsible for properly collecting and handling your water sample according to our provided instructions. We are not liable for inaccurate results due to sample contamination, improper collection, or shipping damage.

Assumption of Risk & Informed Consent

By purchasing and using our service, you acknowledge and agree that:

  • You have read and understand the Nile Red Fluorescence Staining — Methodology Limitations section above and accept that our results are a screening indication, not a definitive identification.
  • You will NOT rely on our results as the sole basis for any health, medical, legal, financial, or safety decision.
  • You understand that particle counts may include false positives (non-plastic particles that fluoresce) and may miss very small particles (false negatives).
  • You assume all risk associated with decisions made based on our test results.
  • You will not hold TheWaterMap.com, XOXO Capital LLC, or any of their agents liable for any harm, loss, or damage arising from your use of or reliance on our test results.

If you do not agree to these terms, do not use our service. Your submission of a water sample constitutes acceptance of all terms on this page.

Branded Products & Third-Party Claims

Sample Verification: We do not verify the source, authenticity, or chain of custody of any sample submitted. We cannot confirm that a sample labeled “Brand X” actually came from that product, was stored properly, or was not contaminated before submission.

Single Sample Limitation: Results represent ONLY the specific sample tested at the time of analysis. A single sample does NOT represent an entire product line, brand, manufacturer, retailer, or batch. Water quality varies by production date, storage conditions, distribution chain, and countless other factors.

Prohibited Uses: You may NOT use our results to: (a) make public claims that a brand or product is “contaminated,” “unsafe,” or “dangerous”; (b) disparage, defame, or damage the reputation of any third party; (c) pursue legal action against any manufacturer, distributor, or retailer; or (d) publish results attributed to a specific brand without clearly stating the limitations above.

Your Liability: If you misuse our results and a third party (brand, manufacturer, etc.) brings legal action, YOU are solely responsible. You agree to indemnify us against any claims, damages, legal fees, or losses arising from your misrepresentation or misuse of our data. We reserve the right to refuse service or withhold results for branded product testing at our sole discretion.

Refunds & Money-Back Guarantee

We offer a 100% money-back guarantee. Simply contact us within 30 days of receiving your results if you are unsatisfied for any reason. Refunds do not constitute an admission of any deficiency in our testing methodology or results.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless TheWaterMap.com and its owners, operators, employees, and affiliates from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from your use of our services or violation of these terms.

Data Usage, Attribution & License Terms

Your Purchased Test Results: When you purchase a water testing service from TheWaterMap.com, you receive full rights to your individual test results. You may use, share, publish, or distribute your own test results freely for any lawful purpose, subject to the limitations described in the "Branded Products & Third-Party Claims" section above.

Public Map Data & Aggregated Research Data: TheWaterMap.com publishes anonymized, aggregated microplastics data on our public map and website for research and educational purposes. This publicly available data remains our proprietary property and is protected by copyright and database rights.

REQUIRED ATTRIBUTION FOR PUBLIC DATA USE: You may access and reference our publicly available map data and aggregated research findings ONLY if you comply with ALL of the following attribution requirements:

  • Source Citation: You must clearly cite TheWaterMap.com as the data source in any publication, presentation, article, research paper, website, or other medium.
  • Website Link: You must include a visible, clickable hyperlink to https://www.thewatermap.com (or the specific page where the data appears) in any digital publication. For print publications, include the full URL in the citation.
  • Attribution Format: Attribution must appear immediately adjacent to or within the same context as the data usage. Example: "Data source: TheWaterMap.com [link to https://www.thewatermap.com]" or "Microplastics data courtesy of TheWaterMap.com (https://www.thewatermap.com)"

PROHIBITED USES OF PUBLIC DATA: Without our explicit written permission, you may NOT:

  • Republish, redistribute, or display our data without proper attribution and linking as described above
  • Scrape, download in bulk, or create derivative databases from our public data
  • Use our data for commercial purposes, including but not limited to: selling data compilations, creating paid reports, or building commercial products
  • Present our data as your own original research or findings
  • Misrepresent, manipulate, or alter our data in any way that changes its meaning or context
  • Remove, obscure, or modify any copyright notices, attribution, or metadata associated with our data

Enforcement & Detection: Our data is uniquely structured and tagged in ways that make unauthorized use detectable. We actively monitor for unauthorized use, republication, and plagiarism of our data. Because our dataset is distinctive and proprietary, we can identify when others use our data without proper attribution.

Violations & Legal Action: Unauthorized use of our public data without proper attribution constitutes copyright infringement, breach of these Terms, and misappropriation of proprietary information. We reserve the right to:

  • Issue formal takedown notices (DMCA or equivalent)
  • Pursue legal action for damages, including statutory damages for willful copyright infringement
  • Seek injunctive relief to prevent continued unauthorized use
  • Recover attorney fees and costs associated with enforcement

Permitted Research Use: Academic researchers, journalists, and educators may use our public data for non-commercial research, reporting, and educational purposes, provided they comply with the attribution requirements above. For large-scale data use, API access, commercial licensing, or other arrangements, please reach out via our support chat.

Dispute Resolution & Arbitration

Any dispute arising from your use of TheWaterMap.com or our services will be resolved through binding arbitration in Los Angeles County, California, rather than in court, except that either party may bring an individual claim in small claims court. You agree that any dispute will be handled individually and not as part of a class action or group proceeding.

These terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

Operating Entity

TheWaterMap.com is operated by XOXO Capital, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Questions?

If you have any questions about our privacy policy or terms of service, use the support chat in the bottom right corner.