Privacy Policy

Last updated 1/13/2019 

The Community Water Center (“CWC”) places a high priority on protecting your privacy.  This policy explains what types of information is collected by the Drinking Water Tool (the “Tool”), and how this information is used by us.  Please note that your use of the Tool signifies that you agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, do not use the Tool.

Compliance of this Privacy Policy with Relevant Statutes

This Privacy Policy is written to comply with the California Online Privacy Protection Act (“CalOPPA”).  CalOPPA requires the website to feature a conspicuous privacy policy stating exactly what information is collected and with whom it is shared; it also requires the operator of the website or online service to comply with the site’s privacy policy.  CalOPPA applies to any person who owns or operates a commercial website that “collects and maintains personally identifiable information from consumers residing in California who uses or visits” the website or utilizes an online service. 

This Privacy Policy also complies with the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”).  The CCPA requires business entities to inform consumers of their rights to access and delete their personal information.  Although CWC is not a for-profit business and will never sell your personal information to a third party, our Privacy Policy voluntarily complies with the disclosure requirements of the CCPA. 

Information We Collect

When you use the Tool, we may request the following types of personally identifying information from you:

  • Your address.
  • Information about your drinking water bill and water utility bill, if any.  
  • The Tool will also record your IP address.

Providing personal information, such as your address and drinking water quality issues, is entirely voluntary.  You may choose not to share this data with us but failure to provide this information may reduce the usability of the Tool.

How We Use Personal Data

CWC uses the data collected in the Tool to provide you with useful information about the vulnerability of your drinking water due to climate change and other conditions. Specifically, we use your data to:

  • Allow the Tool to identify the location of your private well or community water system using your address, in order to identify drinking water conditions near your home.
  • Compile information about contaminants in well water, which improves our understanding of the scope of groundwater contamination in California.
  • Improve and develop the Tool.

We will not sell, rent, or otherwise provide your data for profit to any outside party.  We may provide your data to third party researchers, governmental entities, and businesses for research and advocacy purposes.

Additional Data the Tool Collects

When you use the map function of the Tool, the Tool makes log of your activity which includes your IP address and the files accessed.  This record is kept by us for 180 days and it is then discarded. We use this information to help us improve the Tool.

What We Share with Third Parties

We use Google Analytics to track public usage of the Tool, including times visited and features used.  Your personal information, including your IP address, is not provided to third parties other than for these purposes.  For more information on how Google uses your data, see Google’s privacy policy.

The Tool also uses the Bing Map API application to facilitate its mapping features.  For details of how Bing Maps API uses your data, see the Bing Maps API privacy policy.

Because of the nature of cloud computing, your information may be stored and processed in US States outside of California and in other countries, by CWC and/or by a third party.  If you are not comfortable with this, you should refrain from using the Tool.

Finally, due to the inherent nature of the Internet and related technology, we cannot guarantee the protection of information under our control against loss, misuse or alteration.

Rights of California Residents to Know What Data We Collect and How to Control Data Access

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, it is your legal right as a resident of California to know what personal information we possess about you and to order us to delete your personal information. You may make inquiries and demand the deletion of your personal information by contacting us using the methods below.  We may retain personal data that is used to engage in public or peer-reviewed scientific, historical, or statistical research in the public interest that applies to all other applicable ethical and privacy laws, where the deletion of the information is likely to render impossible or seriously impair the achievement of such research, if the consumer has provided informed consent.

How to Contact Us Regarding Your Personal Data

It is your right as a California resident under the California Consumer Privacy Act to know what personal information we possess about you and to order us to delete it.  If you have any questions about your personal data or want us to delete your personal data, please contact the Tool’s administrator at info@communitywatercenter.org or 559-733-0219. 

Our use of Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your device to store data that can be recalled by a web server in the domain that placed the cookie. When you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser. When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.

You have a variety of tools to control the data collected by cookies. For example, you can use the controls in your internet browser to limit how the websites you visit are able to use cookies and to withdraw your consent by clearing or blocking cookies.

Our Response to Do Not Track Requests

The Tool does not contain functionality for tracking your use of the website or visits to other websites.  Google Analytics does track your use of our website and the Tool, as described above. See the Google Privacy Policy for more information on how Google responds to a Do Not Track request.

Modifications to this Policy

We may amend this Privacy Policy from time to time; please review it periodically. We maintain the option to modify this privacy at any time by electronic notice posted on our website. Your continued use of our website after the date that such notices are posted will be deemed to be your agreement to the changed terms.