How to turn off your water at the meter

Knowing how to turn off your water at the meter is one of the most useful things a homeowner can learn. When a pipe bursts or a tap will not stop running, this is the switch that stops the water to your whole house.

Find your meter

In most Western Sydney and inner west homes the water meter sits near the front boundary, close to the fence or footpath. It is usually inside a small ground level box with a lid, sometimes marked with a blue or black cover. Older homes in areas like Berala, Regents Park and Auburn may have the meter set slightly back in the garden, so it pays to locate yours before you ever need it.

Inside the meter box you will see the meter itself, which counts your water use, and next to it a tap or a lever. That tap is the mains shutoff valve.

Turn it off

Turn the tap or lever clockwise, which is to the right, until it will not turn any further. If it is a lever style valve, turn it a quarter turn so it sits across the pipe rather than in line with it. Older brass taps can be stiff, so a firm steady turn works better than forcing it. If a valve is seized solid, do not snap it. That is a sign it needs replacing, which Terry can sort out.

Check the flow has stopped

Go inside and open a tap, ideally one on the lowest level of the house. Water will run for a moment as the pipes empty, then stop. If it keeps flowing steadily, the valve has not fully closed, so go back and check it is all the way clockwise. Once the tap runs dry you know the mains is off.

When you would use this

Shutting off at the meter is the right move for a burst pipe, a major leak, a tap that will not stop, or before some plumbing work. For a single leaking fixture you can often use the smaller isolation valve under the sink or behind the toilet instead, which keeps the rest of the house in water.

A few good habits

• Show everyone in the house where the meter is and how to turn it off.
• Test the valve once or twice a year so you know it still turns freely.
• Keep the meter box lid clear of pot plants and clutter so you can reach it in a hurry.

If your shutoff valve is stiff, leaking or missing a handle, it is worth having it replaced before an emergency, not during one. Terry has been helping Western Sydney homeowners since 1986, licence L10959, and can fit a modern lever valve that is easy to turn in seconds. Call 0415 274 542 and he will look after it.