Affiliate Disclosure
Last updated: June 15, 2026
In plain language: Some links on Hydrology University are affiliate or sponsored links. If you click one and buy something, we may earn a commission — at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products based on our testing and research, never because of a commission.
How we make money
Hydrology University is an independent, reader-supported educational publication about residential water systems and water science. Running a real testing operation costs money. To fund our work, we participate in affiliate programs and accept advertising. This means that when you click certain links on our site and make a purchase (or take another qualifying action), we may receive a commission or referral fee from the retailer or brand.
These commissions come at no additional cost to you. You never pay more because you used our link, and your price is the same as it would be if you went to the retailer directly.
FTC compliance (16 CFR Part 255)
We comply with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (16 CFR Part 255). We disclose our material connections — including affiliate, advertising, and sponsorship relationships — clearly and conspicuously. Outbound affiliate and sponsored links are tagged with rel="sponsored" so they are identifiable to you, to search engines, and to the networks we work with.
Programs and partners we may use
We may earn commissions through programs including, but not limited to:
- Amazon Associates — As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
- Retailer and brand affiliate programs — direct programs and networks (for example Impact, ShareASale, AvantLink, or CJ) for water-filtration brands and suppliers.
- Marketplace programs — such as Temu's affiliate program for curated marketplace picks.
Independence first
Commissions never influence our ratings or editorial conclusions.
No cost to you
You pay the same price whether or not you use our links.
Data-driven picks
We sometimes recommend products with no affiliate program at all.
Our editorial independence
The presence of an affiliate or advertising relationship does not determine whether or how we cover a product. Our recommendations are driven by our testing protocols and research — not by commission rates. We frequently recommend products that earn us nothing when they are genuinely the best option, and we will say plainly when a popular product falls short. For the full picture of how we keep our reviews honest, see our Editorial Policy and review methodology.
Advertising
In addition to affiliate links, some pages display clearly labeled advertisements and sponsor listings. These are always marked as "Advertisement." Advertisers do not receive favorable editorial treatment in exchange for buying placement. To learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit our Advertise With Us page.
Questions
If anything here is unclear, or you'd like to know whether a specific link is an affiliate link, please reach out through our contact page.