Editorial policy

Sources come first

Every factual claim on Well Almanac should trace to a public source listed at the bottom of the page: a manufacturer’s spec sheet or manual, a certifier’s listing, or a government or university publication. Where we can’t find a primary source for a number, we don’t print the number.

We prefer, in order: federal and state agencies (EPA, CDC, USGS, state health departments), university extension services, standards bodies and certifiers (NSF, WQA), trade publications, and manufacturers’ own technical documents. Dealer blogs and other review sites are used, at most, to find the questions people are asking, not as evidence.

No hands-on claims

We don’t test products in-house and never write as if we had. Pages describe what the documentation says a product is rated to do. See how we research.

Health and safety

Well water can carry real hazards: bacteria, nitrate, arsenic and others. We report what health agencies state, with their thresholds and their wording, and we point readers to state-certified labs and their local health department. We don’t diagnose, and we don’t present a treatment product as a substitute for testing. Pump and pressure-switch work involves line voltage; where a page describes it, it says when to call a licensed professional.

Independence from affiliate revenue

Well Almanac earns commissions on some links (disclosure). Merchants never review content before publication and can’t pay for inclusion or position. A product with no affiliate program can be, and is, recommended when its specifications fit best.

Authorship

Pages are written and edited by Zack Baker, named on every page with a link to his background. AI tools are used for research assistance and drafting; every page is checked against its listed sources before publication, and the editor is responsible for what is published.

Corrections and updates

Errors are corrected promptly once confirmed, and the page’s updated date changes. Material changes (a pick removed, a threshold corrected) are noted on the page. Send corrections to [email protected].