Your plumbing system works fine everywhere in the house – except at the kitchen sink, where the volume and force of water are petering out. What’s going on?

There may be a quick fix. The spout often contains an aerator that introduces air into the water, so the flow seems stronger, even though the flow is reduced to encourage water conservation. The aerator may be plugged.

The faucet may also have a strainer or screen designed to catch debris. This, too, may be plugged, which slows down the flow even more.

The quick fix involves removing the aerator and strainer. Grasp the fitting at the water-flow end of the spout and give it a counter-clockwise twist. Usually, it will come right off with a little pressure from your hand. If not, use pliers.

Rinse out all the parts, keeping them in the correct orientation, and then reassemble. If you find and remove debris, you’ve fixed the flow problem. But if the water flow is still poor after this procedure, it’s time to call a plumber.