Water Industry Training Specialists, Inc. | www.backflowschool.com
Last updated: October 31, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Water Industry Training Specialists, Inc. (“WITS,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, maintains, and discloses personal information in connection with www.backflowschool.com (the “website”) and our training programs. Our website and training programs are intended for adults.
1. Who We Are
Water Industry Training Specialists, Inc. is a California-based provider of instructor-led training for water industry professionals. Our website provides course information and supports registration, payments, student communications, and training records. WITS provides training and continuing education documentation; it does not itself issue professional certifications on behalf of outside certification agencies.
Questions about this policy can be directed to info@backflowschool.com or to the mailing address in Section 12.
2. Information We Collect
We may collect personal information directly from you, automatically when you use our website, and from organizations and providers involved in enrollment and payment processing.
2.1 Information You Provide
- Identification and contact information, such as name, email address, mailing address, and telephone number.
- Account information, such as username and authentication credentials, where an online account is created.
- Registration and professional information, such as course selections, employer or organization name, job title, and information needed to confirm prerequisites.
- Training records, such as attendance, examination or assessment results, course completion status, continuing education units (CEUs), certificates of completion, and transcript information.
- Billing information, such as billing name, address, purchase details, and payment confirmation. Third-party payment processors handle card transactions as described below.
- Communications and information you submit through emails, contact forms, surveys, accommodation requests, or other correspondence.
Where accommodations are requested, we may receive sensitive information voluntarily provided to evaluate and respond to the request. Access to this information is restricted to personnel who need it for that purpose.
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit the website, our website systems and service providers may collect IP address, browser and device information, pages visited, access times, and technical logs. Cookies or similar tools may support account sessions, security, website functionality, and site analytics. Approximate location may be inferred from an IP address.
2.3 Information from Other Sources
We may receive enrollment details from an employer or organization registering students, limited transaction details from payment providers, and information from vendors that support our website, registration system, or communications. We use such information for the purposes described in this policy.
3. How We Use Information
- Provide course information, accept registration, and manage enrollment and class schedules.
- Communicate with students about class arrangements, prerequisites, reminders, changes, and customer support.
- Document attendance, examinations, completion, CEUs, certificates, and transcript requests.
- Process payments through payment providers, issue receipts, and maintain accounting and tax records.
- Respond to accommodation requests and administer training programs appropriately.
- Protect the website, maintain records, investigate potential misuse, and meet legal or accreditation-related obligations.
- Evaluate student feedback and improve training, administration, and the website.
We may send course announcements and other marketing emails. Recipients can opt out of nonessential promotional emails using the unsubscribe instructions provided; operational class communications may continue as needed.
4. When We Disclose Information
WITS does not sell student records or contact lists as part of its training operations. We may disclose information when reasonably necessary to provide services, maintain records, or meet legal obligations.
- To authorized WITS personnel and assigned instructors, limited to information necessary for their work.
- To website hosts, registration and database vendors, payment processors, email providers, technology support providers, and other vendors performing services for WITS.
- To an employer or organization that registers or pays for a student when disclosure is authorized, reasonably expected in that relationship, or otherwise lawful. Student records requested by other parties are released in accordance with WITS record-release procedures, including written approval where required.
- To professional advisers, accreditors, auditors, certifying organizations, or public agencies when appropriate and legally permitted.
- To public authorities or others when legally required or reasonably necessary to protect safety, rights, systems, or records.
We seek to limit disclosures to information appropriate for the recipient and purpose. Outside providers maintain their own privacy and security practices.
5. Cookies and Website Technologies
Our website uses or may use cookies and similar technologies to support login sessions, preferences, security, and website operation. Analytics or third-party technologies may also be used to understand site traffic and improve usability. Browser settings can often block or delete cookies, but some website functions may then be unavailable.
6. How Long We Keep Information
We retain information according to the type of record and the operational, educational, tax, legal, and accreditation purposes for which it is needed. Under WITS’s current recordkeeping practices, paper student records are generally retained for seven years, while electronic student training and completion records may be retained indefinitely to support future transcript, CEU, and completion verification requests. These practices are subject to updates and applicable legal requirements.
Website logs, correspondence, billing documents, and other business records may be held for different periods based on their purpose, system settings, and applicable requirements. When information is no longer required, WITS may delete, securely dispose of, or de-identify it, where feasible and appropriate.
7. How We Protect Information
WITS uses reasonable administrative, physical, and technical safeguards designed to protect personal information. Measures include role-based or restricted access, password-protected accounts, appropriately secured electronic storage, routine backup procedures, and locked storage for paper files where appropriate. Access to student records is limited based on job responsibilities.
No information system can be guaranteed completely secure. If an incident occurs, WITS will assess applicable notice and response obligations and take actions required by law.
8. Your Choices and Requests
You may unsubscribe from optional promotional emails using the link in those emails. You may also contact WITS to request access to, correction of, or an appropriate copy of records associated with you. Depending on applicable law and recordkeeping obligations, we may be unable to delete certain training, financial, or compliance records. We may take reasonable steps to verify identity and authorization before responding or releasing records.
For assistance, email info@backflowschool.com.
9. Privacy Rights for California Residents
California residents may have additional privacy rights under California law. The California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended (CCPA), applies only to businesses that meet its legal criteria. WITS will honor rights required by laws applicable to its operations and will consider reasonable privacy requests even where a particular law does not apply.
9.1 Categories and Purposes
Depending on the services used, categories of information collected may include identifiers and contact details; customer and payment-related records; course transaction and completion history; internet or network activity; approximate IP-based location; employment-related information; and information voluntarily submitted in accommodation requests. These categories are used for registration, training administration, payment, record verification, site security, communications, and legal or accreditation needs, as described in Sections 2 through 6.
9.2 Sale and Advertising Sharing
WITS does not sell student records or contact lists as part of its training operations. Some website technologies, depending on their configuration, may constitute a “sale” or “sharing” of personal information under California law. Where applicable, WITS will provide disclosures and choices required by law.
9.3 Rights Where the CCPA Applies
If the CCPA applies, eligible California residents may have rights to know or access personal information, request correction or deletion (subject to exceptions), opt out of applicable sales or sharing, limit certain uses of sensitive personal information where that right applies, and receive equal treatment when exercising statutory rights. They may also use an authorized agent where permitted.
9.4 Submitting a Request
Privacy requests may be directed to info@backflowschool.com with the subject “California Privacy Request.” We may verify identity or authority before completing a request. Where the CCPA applies, WITS will provide legally required request methods, verification procedures, disclosures, and response time frames.
10. Third-Party Websites and Services
The website may link to websites or services operated by others, including outside certifying bodies and payment or technology providers. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies. We encourage you to review those policies when leaving our website.
11. Updates to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our programs, website features, information practices, or legal requirements. The effective date shown at the beginning of the policy will be revised when changes are published. We may provide additional notice of material changes where required or appropriate.
12. Contact Us
Water Industry Training Specialists, Inc.
1131 Elko Drive
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
Email: info@backflowschool.com
Website: www.backflowschool.com