Community Mail & Test Kit

The Water Awareness Foundation periodically sends educational postcards to households in selected Colorado neighborhoods. This is part of our ongoing community outreach effort to raise awareness about household water quality and to offer a free, no-obligation baseline water test.

Your neighborhood was selected based on publicly available infrastructure data, including the general age of homes and water distribution systems in your area. Being selected does not mean there is a known issue with your water -- it simply means your area is part of a broader educational campaign.

Participation is entirely optional. There is no cost, no obligation, and no follow-up unless you choose to engage further. You are welcome to discard the postcard if you are not interested.

Important: The Water Awareness Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization. We are not affiliated with your city, county, or municipal water utility. Our outreach is funded through educational grants and community partnerships, not through any government agency.

The free test kit included with your postcard measures two baseline indicators of water quality:

• TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) -- TDS measures the total concentration of dissolved substances in your water, including minerals, salts, metals, and organic compounds. It is reported in parts per million (ppm). A higher TDS reading indicates a greater amount of dissolved material, though the reading alone does not identify specific substances. TDS provides a general snapshot of your water's overall composition.
• pH Level -- pH measures how acidic or alkaline your water is on a scale from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is considered neutral. Values below 7 indicate acidity, and values above 7 indicate alkalinity. The EPA recommends a pH range of 6.5 to 8.5 for drinking water. Water that falls outside this range may interact differently with your home's plumbing materials, which can affect both the taste and the characteristics of the water that reaches your tap.

Together, TDS and pH provide a useful starting point for understanding the general characteristics of your household water supply.

It is equally important to understand the limitations of this baseline test. The free kit does not measure the following:

• Hardness -- Calcium and magnesium concentrations that contribute to scale buildup.
• Iron -- Dissolved or particulate iron that can cause staining or metallic taste.
• Manganese -- A naturally occurring metal that can affect water color and taste.
• Specific metals -- Including lead, copper, arsenic, or chromium.
• PFAS -- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, sometimes referred to as "forever chemicals."
• Bacteria -- Including coliform, E. coli, or other microbial contaminants.
• Disinfection byproducts -- Including trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs).

This is a baseline indicator only. The TDS and pH test provides a general overview but cannot identify specific contaminants or confirm whether your water meets all federal and state safety standards. If you want a comprehensive analysis, we recommend a full home water evaluation.

Using the kit is simple and takes less than two minutes. No registration or account creation is required.

1. Fill the bottle with cold tap water. Use the kitchen faucet that you would normally use for drinking water. Let the water run for approximately 10 seconds before filling the sample bottle. Fill it to the line indicated on the bottle.
2. Seal the bottle securely. Make sure the cap is tightened firmly to prevent any leaking during transit. The bottles are designed to be leak-resistant, but a secure seal ensures the most accurate results.
3. Place the sealed bottle in the prepaid envelope. The postage is already covered. Simply insert the bottle into the padded envelope included with your kit and seal the envelope.
4. Drop it in any USPS mailbox or post office. There is no need to visit a special location. Any standard mail drop-off point will work. The envelope is pre-addressed to our testing facility.

No registration is required. You do not need to create an account, provide personal information beyond a return mailing address, or sign up for anything. If you included your email address on the enclosed card, we will send your results electronically. Otherwise, results will be mailed to the return address on the envelope.

Once your sample arrives at our facility, here is what happens:

• We test for TDS and pH. Your sample is analyzed using calibrated digital meters to measure Total Dissolved Solids and pH level. Testing is typically completed within 5 to 7 business days of receipt.
• We notify you of the results. You will receive a clear, easy-to-read summary of your TDS and pH readings, along with context about what the numbers mean and how they compare to EPA guidelines and regional averages.
• If your readings are within normal range, your results report will confirm this and provide general educational information about maintaining awareness of your household water quality over time.
• If your readings are elevated, we will notify you clearly and explain what an elevated reading may indicate. An elevated TDS or an unusual pH reading does not necessarily mean your water is unsafe, but it may suggest that further investigation is worthwhile.
• If further investigation is recommended, we may suggest a full home water evaluation through one of our vetted local partners. This is a more comprehensive analysis that can identify specific substances in your water. There is no obligation to pursue this step -- it is simply offered as a resource for households that want a deeper understanding.

At every step, you remain in control. We do not share your information with third parties, and we will never pressure you into purchasing products or services.

We believe that trust is built through honesty, and honesty starts with transparency about who we are and what we do.

"We are not here for scare tactics. We are here to provide clarity."

The Water Awareness Foundation exists to educate households about the water they use every day. We do not manufacture water treatment products. We do not sell filtration systems. Our role is to provide factual, science-based information so that you can make informed decisions for your household on your own terms.

If our testing indicates that your water has characteristics worth investigating further, we will tell you plainly -- without exaggeration, without fear-based language, and without a sales pitch. If your water looks fine based on the baseline test, we will tell you that, too.

Our outreach is funded through educational grants and partnerships with organizations that share our commitment to public health awareness. We publish our funding sources and organizational structure on our website. If you ever have questions about how we operate, we encourage you to reach out directly.