Terms and Conditions

Last Updated: July 13, 2026

Entity: Drink Safe Australia Pty Ltd (ACN: 688 581 722) trading as Safe Water Lab.

1. Introduction & Acceptance

1.1. These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern the purchase and use of water testing kits and laboratory analysis services provided by Safe Water Lab ("we", "us", "our").

1.2. By purchasing a kit or submitting a sample, you ("the Customer", "you") agree to be bound by these Terms.

2. Nature of Service (Data, Not Medical Advice)

2.1. Logistical & Analytical Screening: Safe Water Lab provides a logistical service to facilitate the testing of water samples through third-party NATA-accredited laboratories.

2.2. No Medical Advice: We are environmental data consultants, not medical professionals. Our reports compare your water quality data against the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) or other relevant guidelines.

2.3. Not a Safety Certification: A result indicating "compliance" or "below" ADWG or other guidelines does not constitute a medical guarantee that the water is "safe" for every individual. We do not certify water as "Safe to Drink."

2.4. Snapshot in Time: Water quality is dynamic. Our report represents the water quality only at the precise moment and location of sampling.

3. Holding Times & Sample Integrity

3.1. What a Holding Time Is: A "holding time" is the maximum period between the collection of a sample and its analysis by the laboratory during which a result is considered technically valid, as specified by the relevant sampling and analytical standards (including AS/NZS 5667 and the individual laboratory's accredited methods). Different analytes have different holding times; some are measured in hours, others in days or weeks.

3.2. Mail-Based Testing & Holding Times: Because our service relies on postal transit, some short-holding-time analytes may be received by the laboratory outside their holding time even where you have followed every instruction correctly and used the Express Post service and supplied ice pack. This is an inherent characteristic of mail-based testing, not a fault in the kit or the service. Clause 4 explains how these analytes are handled.

3.3. Outside Holding Time — Reported, Not Credited: Where a sample is received outside the applicable holding time (including through late lodgement, carrier delay, or the inherent transit time of mail-based testing), the laboratory will still analyse the sample and we will still report the result. Such results are flagged as "holding time exceeded" and are provided on an indicative basis only. No credit, refund, or replacement is provided on the basis of a holding-time exceedance.

4. Indicative Analytes & Time-Sensitive Parameters

4.1. Time- and Temperature-Sensitive Parameters: Some parameters are inherently sensitive to time and temperature and may fall outside their laboratory holding time during normal transit, even where Express Post and the supplied ice pack are used correctly. These include microbiological parameters (for example, E. coli and total coliforms) and field-sensitive parameters such as pH and free/total chlorine.

4.2. Indicative Basis Only: For these parameters, mail-based sampling cannot guarantee analysis within holding time. Results for these parameters are provided as indicative screening only and should not be relied upon as definitive or compliance-grade.

4.3. Field-Measured Parameters (pH & Chlorine): pH and chlorine are properly measured in the field at the exact point of sampling. Laboratory values obtained after transit may differ from the true value at the point of collection due to natural chemical change during transport. This variation reflects the chemistry of the sample and is not laboratory or product error.

4.4. Reporting & Liability: We report all such results with an appropriate caveat identifying them as indicative. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable for any variation in these results caused by transit time or temperature, and no credit, refund, or replacement is provided on this basis.

5. Customer Obligations & Technical Protocols

5A. Mandatory Requirements

The following are mandatory. A sample that does not meet these requirements may be rejected by the laboratory, and no credit or refund will be provided.

5.1. Adherence: You must follow the provided "Step-by-Step Sampling Instructions" precisely. We are not liable for inaccurate results caused by user error.

5.2. Same-Day Dispatch: Samples must be collected and lodged at an Australia Post outlet on the same calendar day, to preserve technical freshness.

5.3. Thermal Integrity: You must freeze the provided gel ice pack for a minimum of 8 hours before sampling and pack it with the samples as instructed.

5.4. Zero Headspace (VOCs/THMs): For volatile organic compounds, you must fill vials with zero headspace (no air bubbles). The laboratory may reject samples containing air bubbles.

5.5. PFAS Hygiene: You must adhere to the PFAS hygiene protocol (avoiding water-resistant clothing and specific cosmetics) to prevent cross-contamination.

5B. Recommendations (Best Practice)

The following are strong recommendations to maximise sample integrity. They are not mandatory, but samples lodged outside these recommendations carry a higher risk of holding-time exceedance, for which no credit is provided (see Clause 3.3).

5.6. Optimal Timing: We strongly recommend collecting and lodging your samples on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.

5.7. Weekend Transit: Lodging early in the week helps samples reach the laboratory before the weekend and maximises the effectiveness of the cooling element (ice pack). Samples lodged on a Thursday, Friday, or over the weekend are more likely to exceed holding time during transit.

5.8. Express Service Limitations: While we use Australia Post Express Post, express delivery timeframes are estimates only and are not guaranteed by the carrier. Some samples may still be received outside holding time despite express lodgement. Results will be reported (see Clauses 3.3 and 4), but a holding-time exceedance may apply and will not be credited, and we are not liable for carrier timeframes outside our control.

6. Sample Integrity & Safety Compliance

6.1. Permitted Samples Only: Sampling containers are strictly for the collection of potable drinking water samples (specifically Tap, Tank, or Bore water).

(a) Containers shall not be used for any substance other than water intended for human consumption.

(b) The collection of industrial chemicals, fuels, oils, solvents, effluents, or any known or suspected hazardous waste is strictly prohibited.

(c) We reserve the right to reject any sample suspected of containing non-water or hazardous substances without refund. You may be held liable for professional disposal costs of hazardous materials.

6.2. Dangerous Goods Policy: In accordance with Australia Post's Prohibited and Restricted Items Policy, you are strictly prohibited from sending "Dangerous Goods" via the mail network. This includes flammable liquids, corrosives, or toxic substances that pose a risk to health, safety, property, or the environment. By using this kit, you certify the contents are non-hazardous drinking water.

6.3. Sender Responsibility & Liability: Under the Australian Dangerous Goods Code, you (the Customer) act as the Consignor (Sender) and are legally responsible for the classification, packaging, and declaration of your mail. Failure to comply can result in severe penalties, including fines or prosecution. You agree to indemnify Safe Water Lab against any costs or damages arising from the shipment of prohibited or dangerous substances.

7. Preservative Handling & Chemical Safety Warning

7.1. Hazardous Substances: You acknowledge that specific sample bottles within the kit contain small, pre-dosed quantities of chemical preservatives (including but not limited to Nitric Acid, Sulfuric Acid, Hydrochloric Acid, and Sodium Thiosulfate) required for laboratory stability. These substances are corrosive and/or hazardous if mishandled.

7.2. Strict Usage Protocols: By using this kit, you agree to:

(a) Do Not Rinse: Never rinse or wash out the sample bottles, as this removes the preservative and may cause chemical splashes.

(b) Do Not Drink: Never consume water from a sample bottle once it has been filled. The water becomes non-potable immediately upon contact with the preservative.

(d) Storage: Keep all bottles (filled or empty) out of reach of children and pets at all times.

7.3. First Aid Acknowledgement: You acknowledge that you have read the safety warnings provided on the bottle labels and instructions. In the event of skin or eye contact with the preservative, you agree to immediately flush the area with water for 15 minutes and seek medical advice if irritation persists.

7.4. Release of Liability: To the maximum extent permitted by law, Safe Water Lab is not liable for any injury, burn, illness, or damage to property caused by: (a) the ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact with the preservatives; (b) spillage of the preservatives during the sampling process; or (c) your failure to wear provided protective equipment or adhere to the safety instructions.

8. Shipping & Logistics

8.1. Carrier: We utilise Australia Post Express Post.

8.2. Delays: We are not liable for delays, lost parcels, or samples spoiled due to third-party logistics delays once the parcel has been lodged.

8.3. Return Postage: You must use the provided prepaid Express Post labels and lodge the parcel at an Australia Post outlet.

9. Laboratory Rejection of Samples

9.1. In addition to the specific grounds elsewhere in these Terms, the laboratory may reject a sample, in whole or in part, where:

(a) the sample volume received is insufficient for analysis;

(b) a bottle or vial has broken, leaked, or been contaminated in transit;

(d) air bubbles are present in VOC/THM vials (see Clause 5.4);

(e) the sample is suspected of containing a non-water or hazardous substance (see Clause 6.1); or

(f) the sample cannot be reliably identified or matched to your order.

9.2. Where rejection results from Customer error under this clause, no refund or replacement is provided. Where a partial rejection occurs, we will report the analytes that could be validly analysed.

10. Lab Results & Reporting

10.1. Turnaround Time: Estimates are 5–10 business days from laboratory receipt but are not guaranteed.

10.2. NATA Accreditation: Analysis is conducted by third-party NATA-accredited laboratories.

10.3. Limits of Reporting (LOR): A result of "Not Detected" means the contaminant was below the laboratory's technical detection limit. It does not guarantee the absolute absence of the substance.

11. Limitation of Liability

11.1. Australian Consumer Law (ACL): Our services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the ACL. For major failures, you are entitled to a refund or replacement.

11.2. General Limitation: To the maximum extent permitted by law:

(a) Our total liability is limited to the resupply of the services (replacement kit) or a refund of the cost of the service.

(b) We are not liable for consequential, indirect, or special losses, including medical expenses, plumbing costs, or property devaluation.

(c) Our reports must not be used as the sole basis for legal proceedings or major financial investments without a secondary independent professional chain-of-custody sample.

12. Refund & Replacement Policy

12.1. Change of Mind: We do not offer refunds for "change of mind" once the kit has been dispatched due to the sterile nature of the components.

12.2. User Error: No refunds are provided if the sample is rejected due to Customer error, including:

(a) failure to lodge on the same calendar day as collection (Clause 5.2);

(b) presence of air bubbles in VOC vials (Clause 5.4);

(d) other Customer-error grounds for rejection listed in Clause 9.

12.3. Holding-Time Exceedances: No credit, refund, or replacement is provided where a result is flagged as outside holding time or as indicative (see Clauses 3.3 and 4), as the sample has still been analysed and reported.

12.4. Damaged Kits: If a kit arrives damaged, notify us within 24 hours with photographic evidence for a free replacement.

13. Privacy & Data Use

13.1. We manage data in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

13.2. Confidentiality: Individual results are confidential.

13.3. Public Health Clause: If a test reveals chemical exceedances that constitute an imminent and serious threat to public health, we may be ethically or legally required to notify relevant authorities.

14. Force Majeure

14.1. We are not liable for any failure or delay in providing our services to the extent caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including carrier disruption, laboratory closure or capacity constraints, natural disasters, power or telecommunications failure, pandemic, or government action.

15. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

15.1. These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia.

15.2. You submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New South Wales and any courts competent to hear appeals from those courts.