Privacy Policy
What this site knows about you.
Short answer: very little, and none of it collected by this site directly. This page lays out what data is gathered when you visit, which third-party services are involved, and what you can do about any of it.
Last updated: May 2026
The Short Version
Online Water Softeners does not collect personal information through the site itself. There is no registration, no comment system, and no form that stores your details. The only personal data that reaches this site directly is an email address when you choose to write in, and it is used solely to respond to you.
What Is Actually Collected
When you visit this site, no personally identifiable information is captured by Online Water Softeners directly. If you contact Wayne by email, that address is used only to reply to your message. It is not stored in a database, added to any list, or passed along to anyone else.
Anonymized, aggregate usage data is collected through Google Analytics. This covers things like which pages were viewed, how long a visit lasted, the type of device and browser used, and approximate location at the country or city level. None of that data identifies you individually. It is reviewed periodically to understand whether the site is actually useful and where it could be better.
Third-Party Services
Three external services operate on this site, each under its own privacy policy. Online Water Softeners does not control what those services collect or how they use it.
Google Analytics. Tracks anonymized visitor behavior including page views, session duration, and traffic sources. Google Analytics sets cookies to do this. No personally identifiable information is transmitted. If you prefer not to be tracked, the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on disables it across all sites that use the service.
Google AdSense. Serves the display advertisements on this site. Google determines which ads appear based on your browsing activity across sites that participate in Google’s advertising network. Online Water Softeners has no role in that process. You can review your personalization settings at Google Ad Settings, and read the full explanation of how Google uses data for advertising at Google’s advertising policies.
Amazon Associates. Affiliate links on this site point to Amazon.com. Clicking one may cause Amazon to set a cookie to record the referral. All purchase data stays within Amazon’s systems and is governed by Amazon’s Privacy Notice.
Cookies
Online Water Softeners does not set any first-party cookies. All cookies present on this site originate from the three services listed above. Google Analytics uses them to track sessions. Google AdSense uses them for ad targeting. Amazon uses them to attribute affiliate referrals.
Your browser’s settings let you view, block, or delete cookies at any time. Blocking third-party cookies specifically will limit the tracking described above. The reading experience on this site is unaffected either way, though ad display and affiliate attribution may not function normally if cookies are blocked.
Data Retention
Online Water Softeners does not maintain a personal data store. Emails are kept only for as long as the conversation warrants and are not archived beyond that. Data held by Google Analytics, Google AdSense, and Amazon is retained according to each company’s own policies, which fall outside the control of this site.
Your Rights
Depending on where you live, applicable privacy law may give you rights over your personal data, including the right to access it, correct it, request its deletion, or opt out of certain processing activities. Because this site holds no personal data directly, exercising most of those rights means going to the relevant third-party service rather than to this site.
For data Google holds about you, Google Account is the place to start. For anything Amazon holds, contact Amazon through their own privacy channels. For anything specific to this site, use the contact page.
Links to Other Sites
Articles on this site link to manufacturer pages, EPA and USGS resources, NSF certification databases, and other external sources. Online Water Softeners has no control over what those sites do with visitor data. Checking their privacy policies before submitting any personal information is worth doing.
Children
This site is intended for adults making decisions about home equipment. It is not directed at children under 13, and no personal information is knowingly collected from them. If you believe a child has submitted personal information through contact with this site, please get in touch and it will be removed promptly.
Policy Updates
This policy will be revised if the way this site operates changes in a way that affects how data is handled. The date at the top of the page reflects the last meaningful revision. Continuing to use the site after a change is posted means you are working under the updated version. Significant changes will be described briefly here so you do not have to compare versions to figure out what shifted.
Questions About Privacy
If you have a specific question about this policy or want to make a request related to personal data, reach out directly. Wayne reads every message.