So, a pipe bursts and water leaks into your property. You need to turn the water off to your premises. Do you know how to do this? Our quick guide will give you tips on how to get this done at your place before the plumber arrives. The first thing is knowing if you’re on Town Water or Tank Water. Most homes in metropolitan and major regional centres will be on town water supply, so you’ll need to find the mains connection tap to shut off the water supply. Usually, this will be found on your footpath, inside a plastic or metal box on the ground. Here are some examples of what to look for.
You’ll need to locate the valve and turn it clockwise (to the right) to turn off the water supply. Examples of what this looks like is below. You may need some pliers to help turn it if it’s wedged. Once it can’t turn any further, check the taps in your house to ensure the water supply is off. It’s a good idea to maintain your water meter box and keep it free of debris so you’re not digging through dirt and leaves to find the shut-off valve in an emergency.
Pop the lid off your water box – you may need a screwdriver or something similar to get under the lid. Once it’s off, you need to look for the valve. Below are some examples. Turn the valve in a clockwise direction (to the right) to turn the water supply off. Be sure to check the water in the house using taps to ensure that it is actually off.
TANK WATER CONNECTIONS
If you’re on tank water, you’ll need to turn off the water supply at the tank itself. If you have more than one tank, you’ll need to turn them all off. Be sure to also turn off any pumps connected so they don’t run dry. Once the water is restored, you may need to prime the pump if it’s not self-priming. Your DYFA Plumber can help reconnect your water supply. Water tanks usually have a couple of different types of tap fittings. The most common are lever-style or gate valves, which are pictured below. These will be located at the bottom of your water tanks. Turn these clockwise until they don’t turn any further. Check the water taps in your house to ensure the water is off – there will be some residual water in the pipes, so it may take a minute to stop running.
If you’re on tank water, you’ll need to turn off the taps at your tank/s and turn off the pump (if you have one) so it doesn’t run dry (once you turn the water supply back on, you may need to prime the pump again if it’s not self-priming). If you’re unsure, your DYFA Plumber will be able to reconnect your water supply and have it working again.
Once the water is off, you’re now right to do the tap repair or wait for your DYFA Plumber to arrive to repair it for you. Whether it’s a broken tap or split washer, your tap needs reseating, or you have any other maintenance issue, your DYFA Plumber will be able to complete the repair and reconnect your water when it’s done. It’s all part of the service!
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