how to turn off street water main?

[Native]

Hello: Have a slow leak inbetween my house shut-off and street shut-off main. Hence, need to turn off main at the street. However, I can't figure out how to shut the street main off.

I have a street key, but still can't find where it goes in to turn off the valve. The meter box was filled with water and mud and even after removing most of that I still could not figure out where to insert the key.

Is the shut-off in the same box with the meter? Does anyone have a pic of what a clean/new install of one of these would look like so I can figure out where the key goes?

Also, this made me think. If It took me 10 mins just to get all the mud and water out of the meter box to see the meter, how is the city reading my meter to know how much to bill me?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

On the top of the valve.

Probably just ahead of the meter.

Some are electronic and no visibility needed. They send a signal to the reader as he dives by.

[Speedy Jim]

IMHO you are taking a great big risk. Bad things happen when the connection at the curb stop breaks off as you are wrenching on it.

Call the city/utility and explain why you need a shutoff order.

Jim

[Hound Dog]

Your best bet is to call the city and have them turn your water off at the street.

I have used several plumbers over the years and they all have called and arranged for the city to turn the water off at the street if time permitted.

They are concerned of something happening and they will be held liable.

My shut-off valve at the house is corroded open and I intend to have it replaced this spring. The plumber I will be using has asked me to notify him several days in advance so he can contact the city to turn off the water supply at the street.

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[RobertPatrick]

Very stupid idea to do that yourself.

[scott_z500]

I also agree that this is the one plumbing thing that I do not want to attempt to do myself.

[Yuban Hadd]

responsible (they fix it for free) for any leaks up stream from the meter and I'm responsible for my side of the meter....K

[MLD]

My plumber said call the city because bad things can happen sometimes--Guess what--The city came and in turning the valve with the key the underground extention rod sheared off. Necessitated digging up the street, replacing the extention rod and then rehot topping. MLD

[George E. Cawthon]

Kind of depends on how long the valve has been in and when last used. I turn off at the street any time I need to. Be damned if I am going to craw under the house. At first we had no meter, then they installed meters, all of that was in the past 30 years. So my street valve operates just ok.

Maybe some of those guys leaning on shovels ought to just do a quick turn off and on of the closest valves to keep them exercised.

[Rich]

The valve is probably by the meter. We recently switched to an electronic method of reading the meter. There is a small disk shaped antenna on top of the meter hole cover.

However, you may be in for a big job. The city here required a piece of plastic pipe between the meter and the copper to the house. The company that installed the plumbing used a cheap connector. With heating and cooling over the years those plastic connectors break. They are about 8 feet underground. Some I knew have done it themselves but I hired a guy. Fortunate as there are also power lines and gas lines near the pipe.

You must contact other utilities to get the lines marked before digging. Then we found that the city gas lines feeding the block are a very cheap white plastic. The fellow fixing the line had never seen that type of pipe used for gas and was being very careful. They dug the hole without any damage to the gas line. When attempting to loosen the pipe fitting the guy's wrench slipped and his elbow hit the gas line fracturing it. So we then had to wait for the gas company to come and fix the line before proceeding. The gas company assured me they were going to replace that plastic pipe in the near future.