WaterCheck is written and maintained by Sunni Parks. It's a small, independent project, not a company — there's no editorial team, just one person doing the research.
Before any city goes live, I personally read that utility's actual Consumer Confidence Report (their official annual water quality report) and check EPA's live compliance database directly. Nothing on this site is scraped or generated — if a city isn't listed yet, it's because I haven't verified it by hand, not because the data doesn't exist. I'd rather launch with a handful of cities I've checked properly than a long list I haven't.
WaterCheck doesn't tell you your water is "safe" or "unsafe." It shows what a smell is typically associated with and what your utility's public record actually says, and leaves the decision to you. It's general information, not a lab test — see the note below for what that does and doesn't cover.
If something here is wrong — a fact, a link, a utility's status — tell me and I'll fix it or take it down. Getting it right matters more than getting it published fast.
Causes and what people typically do are based on published guidance from the EPA and state drinking-water programs, not guesses. The zip lookup pulls from EPA's public violation records (SDWIS) and a utility's own water quality report, hand-checked utility by utility rather than scraped.
This tool provides general information based on published EPA and utility data, and common causes reported by water quality professionals. It is not a substitute for laboratory water testing, a licensed plumber's assessment, or guidance from your water utility or local health department. WaterCheck does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information provided and is not liable for decisions made based on it.