Does the water sour or spoil?
1003609
No. But don't buy this model. It's defective. The water won't drain into the reservoir. Any other model is okay though.
1003610
We have 3 dogs, so we really don't have issues with it at all. Basically we just wipe it out and rinse it when we refill. Not sure how much the filter does, but no complaints from the dogs!
1003611
I keep mine inside but haven't noticed any slimy residue. I do need to rinse it out every once in awhile. I would recommend this though.
1003612
No, I haven't had that problem. It only lasts 3 days at most in my house with 3 dogs. I love mine. I think I remember having to peel a paper off of the filter before installing it. The water flows through fine.
631074
I am not sure...I do not refrigerate this item. it is in my cupboard until I am ready to use it. I have never had an issue with it tasting sour.
1290332
Mine is still new. It hasn't been used. But yes. If it is chilled water that is what it's designed to do.
1572823
we use at least 15 gallons of water a week and does not have time to go stale but I am sure if you don't use it very much and the water just sits there it could go stale. Make sure to let the water run out at least once a month and then clean the bottom out just to be on the safe side. we have never gotten sick from bacteria in water. hope this helps.
1066597
They should hold water well for the long-term and short term but it may not be fresh if held for a long time
303052
In my experience with it, not bad at all. The water goes through the filter anyway so it tastes fresh. The more it use it the more the filter will wear away though so make sure you keep up with changing the filter as necessary.
631302
I've been using mine for several months and have never noticed a "nasty metallic taste." I use the hot water to make tea and have never had a problem.
1824967
I do not do anything to the water before, but i have not left it in there for longer than a weekend camping either. I rinse it real good when i get home and let it air dry. I will bleach rinse them at the end of the season, and check them next year before i us them, if they are stinky next time i will bleach rinse again. Seems to work for me so far.
1672941
According to FEMA and various manufacturers, properly sealed water doesn't spoil but can take on the flavor of the container. Take a look at the fema.gov site for "Food and Water in an Emergency"
1848048
Fine... I always squeezed/filtered the best water I could find. I thought the lake water might have a bad taste, but even that was palatable right out of the filter. That said, I typically keep a little lemon juice for my pack-bladder. After my trip, I back-flushed the filter and didn't see any particulates, so again, all the water I filtered was pretty clear. My $.02
1688208
I did not have it tested. We had the cooler for 6 months and never had any issues with the cooler itself or the taste of any water and our family is very aware of the taste of water.
2146421
The ZeroWater filters contain anion resins which release trimethylamine (rotten fish odor). The amount of trimethylamine released is affected by certain minerals and pH levels of the water source (not bacteria), which would explain why some people notice it and others don't. Look at all the reviews, there are plenty of people that have experienced the dreaded "fishy smell/taste".The manufacturer is WELL AWARE of this issue and even addressed it on their website in 2012 when I purchased this but they have removed it since; which I'm assuming was due to having a negative affect on their sales. The ZeroWater filters contain anion resins which release trimethylamine (rotten fish odor). The amount of trimethylamine released is affected by certain minerals and pH levels of the water source (not bacteria), which would explain why some people notice it and others don't. Look at all the reviews, there are plenty of people that have experienced the dreaded "fishy smell/taste".The manufacturer is WELL AWARE of this issue and even addressed it on their website in 2012 when I purchased this but they have removed it since; which I'm assuming was due to having a negative... » Read More The ZeroWater filters contain anion resins which release trimethylamine (rotten fish odor). The amount of trimethylamine released is affected by certain minerals and pH levels of the water source (not bacteria), which would explain why some people notice it and others don't. Look at all the reviews, there are plenty of people that have experienced the dreaded "fishy smell/taste".The manufacturer is WELL AWARE of this issue and even addressed it on their website in 2012 when I purchased this but they have removed it since; which I'm assuming was due to having a negative affect on their sales. « Show Less
1170869
Hi Marlene, My impression is this stuff has an unlimited shelf life. It's made of fossilized diatoms, already old by definition. I keep mine on the kitchen counter. It doesn't change or spoil. Probably all you have do is keep it dry. I'm on my 4th container and have been pleased.Good luck!
494614
I have not had any problems with mine but I use a filtered water! Suggest you try that first!
2240471
It could be defective. Had mine for some time now and it still looks brand new. We have hard water and I make sure it's clean and dried after each use.
1718948
Of course it is whichever comes earlier. But the one I have right now I have been using for four months and the water still tastes fine. I definitely have not used 40 gal through it yet.I do not know what the shelf life of the new filters is, but I think they are just carbon based so it should be a long time.
1046866
It doesn't say on the bottle but when I googled it I got an answer that said carbonated water has a sour taste and a PH between 3 and 4