Turn Off Water Using the Main Cutoff Valve on the Street
In the event your inside main water valve fails, there’s one final backstop you can operate to shut off water to the house: the main water valve on the street. The picture below shows a typical water meter cover found in cities and counties across the U.S. With the cover off, you can see the water meter and the county’s cutoff valve (to the left). Note that water meters and cutoff valves vary by district, but they all follow this basic setup. In general, you are responsible for plumbing on your house’s side of the mater, and the city is responsible for the meter and everything before it.
You should only use the street water cutoff for three reasons:
- Your inside water main valve fails and you have a water emergency (burst pipe).
- You have a leak / burst pipe before the main inside valve (between the street and the inside valve).
- You are replacing the main water valve.
How to Turn off Water at the Street
Locate the outside water meter cover. The meter is usually close to the street or alley so that it can be easily read by public works.- Contact public works to ensure they allow owners to operate their cutoff valve. Most districts will allow an owner or licensed plumber to operate the valve as long as they aren’t behind on payments.
- This particular meter cover has a pentagonal nut holding it down (apparently an attempt to let the average Joe know he shouldn’t be going in here). Remove the nut using the requisite pentagonal wrench. If you don’t have the special wrench, a pair of channel locks will work just fine.
- Locate the valve inside the chamber and turn the valve clockwise to close it (shown in the picture to the right). With the valve shown in the picture above, a pair of channel locks will help you grasp the valve.
If the valve at the street has not been operated in a long time, it could be locked up. Whatever you do, DO NOT FORCE THE VALVE. If it will not turn with a reasonable amount of pressure, call a plumber and/or public works. If the valve is broken, it is the jurisdiction’s job to replace it (since it sits on the city’s side of the water meter).
What do you think? Have you ever turned off water at the street?
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19 Responses to Turn Off Water Using the Main Cutoff Valve on the Street
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November 4th, 2008 8:17 am
Great post Fred. Around here the water meters are actually located in the house. This is done for several reasons, one is the extreme cold we have would freeze the water meter and valve assembly. We do have shut offs at the street, the valve is actually at least 4′ below grade. There is an extension rod that goes from the valve up to the street. However, around here that shut off is off limits, you must call the local water authorities to have it shut off.
November 4th, 2008 8:34 am
Todd – Good information. I was surprised at the valves around here. While NH gets really cold in the Winter, MD has no shortage of really cold days itself. Most of our plumbing sits below the 36″ freeze depth, however, the meter is only buried about 18″ (the plumbing basically comes up out of the ground and then goes back into the ground), which you can almost see from this picture.
As far as permission goes….As far as I’m concerned, if there’s an emergency I would use any valve I had access to, regardless of the permission required
November 4th, 2008 11:11 pm
Sure. In Australia they are found just inside the property. We can trun them on and off as we like. I have turned mine off whenever I need to work on the plumbing.
November 17th, 2008 3:22 am
I have to replace the line into my house. The shut off valve has not been turned for 30 years. it is located 12″ down. I removed the access screw cap, inserted the key down the access pipe onto the tongue on the valve but it, as expected would not turn with considerable force. I poured a half cup of WD40 down the 1″ access pipe and let it soak over night.
Same results the next day. I gave the key a good wack with a hammer then closed the valve with ease, and no leaks. Great valve to still operate after all this time.
January 6th, 2009 2:16 am
Grate stuff, I enjoy doing plumbing at home. Where can I learn to be a licence plumber. I love it. I have so far done everything at home. Love it.
Your web sight is very very good thanks,
Leslie
January 6th, 2009 2:17 am
Great stuff, I enjoy doing plumbing at home. Where can I learn to be a licence plumber. I love it. I have so far done everything at home. Love it.
Your web sight is very very good thanks,
Leslie
February 22nd, 2009 2:17 pm
i have a duplex rental and i need to repair the valve under the bathroom sink. I have done this many times in other duplexes right next door, but when i go out to the street and turn off the main, the water does not turn off. To me this means the city’s valve is broken , i used chanel locks to turn it until it closes or stops.
i do not know of another valve in or around the house. Is calling the city my only hope?
please let me know what i can do
Ryan
February 23rd, 2009 9:39 pm
Hi Ryan, thanks for the question.
If you’re sure you’re operating the right valve, then yes, it sounds like the city’s valve is broken and you’ll need to call them to repair it. In our county, replacement of the city’s stop would be the responsibility of the city, and in general, they’re pretty fast at getting someone out (2 weeks), unless its an emergency.
So I take it you’ve already looked for a main inside the duplex? Most of the time the city valve is a backstop for another valve inside the house that should be operated first.
February 25th, 2009 12:14 pm
This is a new housed in NC. The plumbing does not have a shut off valve inside on the water main. The only cut off valve is at the meter outside. Is this in compliance with Code?
February 25th, 2009 11:57 pm
Jim – I’m not familiar with NC local codes – you could check in your library to see if they’re available there. Very unusual not to have an inside cut off though.
July 2nd, 2009 6:46 am
May I suggest for you too have your own cut off valve installed.
Fact is this meter is owned by the water company and many have fine-able
anti tampering laws. Not too mention its a NC Plumbing code too have one.
July 29th, 2009 10:53 pm
I have a leaking valve before the indoor water meter. I have been struggling with, but finally got the cap off at the street valve. The brass nut was badly damaged probably from past attempts to open cover. The valve is similar to the one pictured, although without the meter and in a very narrow pipe. I don’t have a key, so I cut a slot in a piece of steel 1/2 inch pipe so to fit over the valve. I’ve turned it and the water will not turn off. My question is, is the street valve a screw type valve that requires it to be turned clockwise until tight, or is it a ball type valve that only requires a 1/4 turn to stop the flow. I’ve tried different positions with no success. The valve never felt tight, (closed), so I’m wondering if I am in fact turning the valve at all. The access is so narrow I can’t see much. What are your thoughts on freezing the supply pipe with dry ice to stop the flow. I’ve heard of it but it may be an urban legend.
November 7th, 2009 1:22 pm
What most people don’t know is there are 2 types of water keys, a meter key as explained, and a gate valve key which has a square 2″ inner diameter socket and is much bigger than a meter key, These are what the city uses to shut down entire streets, large buildings, and repair fire hydrants. Although some meters may have an adapter from t-head to square nut, in this case you would need a valve key to shut off the meter. Valve keys are sold at waterworks and plumbing supply stores but usually not hardware stores. There are also many other security devices and tools I can explain if you have furter questions.
January 5th, 2010 10:34 pm
Great article! I am trying to do some plumbing work on the inside of my home (replacing valves in the shower/tub) and the main water shut off does not appear to completely shut the water off to the house – there is still a slow stream of water draining from one of the pipes. Should I try the city meter, or is there something else I should try before resorting to that?
January 8th, 2010 12:15 pm
Laura – city meter is the last resort. You should replace the inside main while you’re at it to put a good one in place.
January 8th, 2010 7:36 pm
Hey im having water problems. My toilet wont fill up with water. And now my sink is clogged up probably from frozen drainage pipe. I keep running the water though in the sink and everywhere else to keep it from freezing. but im tired of draining out the sink by hand and all. And i will call a plumber once the weather gets warmer. So in the mean time would it be ok to turn the main water off from my shut off valve outside? I know it will freeze and all but will it bust the pipe from under the ground?
January 10th, 2010 12:50 am
Edward – hard to say given the fact that it sounds like you have serious plumbing problems. Perhaps the builder did not properly insulate your house? A good question would be whether the main pipe is deep enough under ground.
How old is your house?
January 19th, 2010 8:22 pm
I would like to purchase a water cut off wrench with the following requirements.
1st that the wrench also have the pentigon type of ntut socket built into it.
2nd that the valve shut off portion of the wrench be on a Tee type of rod that is adiquitly long enough to reach down a standard depth hole, say 24″ or better, 36 prefered.
Anybody know where I can find this?
Larry 20100119
larry.fawcett@ngc.com
March 12th, 2010 3:55 pm
I need to replace the main water valve in my house so I have to shut off the water at the meter. I will not be asking the city for permission. I have to get this job done soon and can’t wait for them to come out. Any advice?