ZeroWater is one of the top brands for water filtration and prides itself on removing almost all dissolved solids in water. ZeroWater products may, however, leak for several different reasons.
ZeroWater filters leak because of incorrect assembly, a loose or broken O-Ring, or an incorrect pouring method. In some cases, leaks can also be caused by a broken spigot button or spout.
Some leakage problems can occur in any ZeroWater product, while some are model-specific. Read on below to identify exactly what the problem with your filter is and how to fix it, as well as some other helpful tips for ZeroWater products, including how to replace your filters, and how to extend their life.
Types of ZeroWater Filters
ZeroWater only offers one model of faucet filter (available from ZeroWater.com). ZeroWater also have a wide range of pitchers available on Amazon, some of which have water dispensers. There are also options to buy the 40-cup glass dispenser or 5 gallon water cooler. Below are all the ZeroWater products that this article will cover.
Faucet Filters
- ExtremeLife™ Faucet Mount Water Filter
Filter Pitchers
- 6 Cup ZeroWater Filter Pitcher
- 7 Cup Ready-Pour® Water Filter Pitcher
- 10 Cup Ready-Pour® Round Water Pitcher
Filter Pitchers (With Dispensers)
- 10 Cup Water Filter Pitcher
- 10 Cup Ready-Pour® Water Filter Pitcher
- 12 Cup Ready-Pour® Water Filter Pitcher
- 20 Cup Ready-Pour® Water Filter Dispenser
- 30 Cup Water Filter Ready-Pour® Dispenser
Glass Dispenser
- 40 Cup Ready-Pour Glass Dispenser
Water Cooler
- 5 Gallon Water Cooler Filtration System
Note: Ready-Pour® technology means you can dispense filtered water as the reservoir continues to filter.
Reasons Why Your ZeroWater Filter Is Leaking
Incorrect Assembly: Pitchers & Dispensers
For all ZeroWater pitcher filters or filter dispensers, the actual filter module is designed to screw into the plastic separator in the container.
If the filter is simply placed or pushed into the gap in the separator, rather than screwed in, the unfiltered water in the top section is likely to leak through into the filtered water below.
To fix this, simply remove the filter from your pitcher or dispenser, along with the cover/reservoir inside the container. Then screw the filter into the grooves in the reservoir/cover from underneath, and place back into the container.
If Incorrect assembly was the cause of the leak, this will fix it.
Incorrect Assembly: Faucets
For the ZeroWater faucet, the most likely cause of a leak is the mount not being screwed onto your faucet properly. When attaching the filter to your faucet, you must first match the faucet’s threads with the correct mount (inside or outside threads).
Supplied with the ZeroWater faucet mount should be some adapters. These will only be needed if your tap has an inside thread. For outside threads, the swivel collar is all that is needed.
It is important that the faucet mount is screwed on tightly counter-clockwise. A loose fit or misaligned threads could lead to water leaking out from the tap down the outside of the mount.
When placing the new filter cartridge into the mount, be sure to click it into place properly inside the housing module, and that the housing module is turned so that the spout is facing directly downwards.
Other issues such as a stuck or broken valve stem, or other faults inside the mount have no simple fix. If your product is within warranty, you should contact ZeroWater customer support and request a replacement.
Loose Or Broken O-Ring
The O-ring is a small piece of elastomer (a rubbery plastic) that should serve as watertight seal between conjoining parts. For ZeroWater products, there is an O-ring around the top of every ZeroWater filter capsule.
If the O-ring has gotten pinched or scrunched when setting the filter in place, it is possible unfiltered water is leaking through the gap into the filtered water below.
If the O-ring is simply not on properly, this can be fixed by unscrewing the filter and pressing the rubber back into place, so that it fits smoothly around the rim.
Should the O-ring be broken or snapped, this only affects the current filter, and so a replacement filter should fix the problem.
There is no official ZeroWater O-ring replacement, so replacing the filter is your only option.
Incorrect Pouring Method
For ZeroWater pitchers, it is important to have the cover/lid on and sealed properly. Not doing so will mean excess water in the reservoir leaking out the lid as you try to pour your filtered water.
Generally, it is better to wait until all the water in the reservoir has been filtered so that this problem does not occur.
In some cases, the spout may feel too wide or inefficient, leading to water spilling out to the sides or dripping as you try to pour. One way to fix this is to change your technique. Try pouring confidently and slightly above your cup to try and narrow the stream, preventing water from spilling down the sides.
Broken Spigot/Dispenser Button
Many ZeroWater products include a spigot to help you more easily dispense the filtered water into cups or mugs. These spigots can be found on all dispenser products and some pitchers, as outlined above.
All of the spigots on ZeroWater products work through a button on a spring. If the spring is weakened, broken or out of place, the cap will not properly close, allowing the filtered water to leak out of the spigot.
To get a replacement, contact ZeroWater customer support. Manually fixing the spring inside is possible, however this will require a small amount of DIY knowledge on how to fix the mechanics of the spring.
Given ZeroWater is usually willing to provide a replacement product free of charge, we recommend simply contacting them immediately.
Other Questions About ZeroWater
Other extremely common queries we get about ZeroWater are “How long does a ZeroWater filter last?” and “How to replace a ZeroWater filter?”. Each of these are answered briefly below.
How Long Does A ZeroWater Filter Last?
ZeroWater claim that their filters should last anywhere between 2-5 months and be able to filter 25 to 40 gallons of water. This depends on the quality of water being filtered from your tap.
To check the quality of the water both before or after filtering, you can use the ZeroWater indicator that comes with all pitchers and dispensers. Simply take off the cap at the end, press start, and submerge the end in the water.
This should give you the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids). See the chart below to determine how long the filter should last depending on the TDS of your tap water. ZeroWater recommends replacing your filter when the filtered water reads 006 TDS, though this is, in reality, entirely up to you.
How Do I Replace A ZeroWater Filter?
To replace a ZeroWater pitcher or dispenser filter, simply buy a replacement filter and remove the previous filter.
First, take the entire reservoir-filter out of the container. Then, unscrew the old filter capsule from the reservoir/lid. You can then screw in the new filter as you did the original one and place it all back into the container.
For the ZeroWater faucet filter mount, buy some replacement cartridges and remove the old filter. To do this, first twist the housing module round one rotation counter-clockwise and remove it from the mount. You can then de-attach the old cartridge and place in your new one, before putting the housing module back into the faucet mount.
Where Can I Buy ZeroWater Replacement Filters?
ZeroWater 5-Stage Replacement filters can be easily purchased on Amazon. They are available in convenient 2-Packs all the way up to a 12-Pack bulk-buy option.
ZeroWater Tips
If you have both a large dispenser and a pitcher filter, you can greatly extend the life of your filter capsules with a very simple trick. When the filter inside your pitcher reads 006 TDS and needs replacing, put the old filter into your dispenser, rather than throwing it away.
You can then use your dispenser with the old filter installed as a pre-filter for the pitcher. Run all your water through the dispenser with the old filter first, before filtering again through the pitcher to drink.
Because the old filter is not broken, but simply less effective, this method lets the old filter take out most of the TDS in your water before it reaches the new filter, extending the life of your new filter and making use of the older filter.
For other tips on ZeroWater products, check out our articles:
