My water is filtering very slowly — what should I do?Updated 2 months ago
Why is my water filtering slowly?
ZeroWater's 5-stage filter removes far more dissolved solids than standard filters, which means the water passes through more slowly by design. However, if your filter is barely dripping or has stopped flowing altogether, the most likely cause is an air lock.
How to fix an air lock
- Remove the filter together with the water reservoir from the pitcher.
- Leave a small layer of water in the reservoir — don't empty it completely.
- Squeeze the filter gently several times while it sits in that water. This releases the trapped air as bubbles.
- Repeat squeezing a few times until the bubbles stop appearing.
- Reinsert the filter and reservoir, refill, and check whether the flow has improved.
If the flow is still very slow after 1–2 refills, repeat the process once more.
Other causes of slow flow
- Very high local TDS: The higher your tap water TDS, the more the filter has to work and the slower it may flow. This is normal.
- Filter near end of life: Check your TDS reading. If it's 006 or higher, it's time to put in a new filter.
- Filter not fully seated: A cross-threaded or loose filter can also restrict flow. Remove and re-seat it carefully.
Still not resolved?
If none of the above steps fix the issue, please contact our customer service team — we're happy to help.