How to Find Your Water Meter and Stopcock
Knowing how to turn off your water is the single most useful plumbing skill. Here is where to look on a typical Narre Warren property.
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Where the meter usually is
On most Narre Warren properties the water meter is at the front boundary, often near the footpath on one side of the driveway, sometimes inside a small plastic or concrete box with a lid. On older properties it may be against the front fence or under a bush. In units and townhouses there may be a bank of meters near the street or in a services cupboard.
The stopcock
The stopcock is the tap on the pipe next to the meter, on the house side. Turning it clockwise shuts off water to the property. Some newer meters have a lever valve instead, which closes when turned a quarter turn across the pipe.
Check it works
Try turning it now, while there is no emergency. If it is seized or very stiff, do not force it with a long bar, which can break the pipe. Call us to replace it. A working stopcock can save thousands of dollars of damage.
Isolation valves inside
Many fixtures have their own isolation valves: under kitchen and bathroom sinks, behind toilets, on washing machine taps and on the cold inlet of the hot water unit. These let you turn off one fixture and keep water to the rest of the house.
Keep it accessible
Do not bury the meter under mulch, pavers or garden beds. Make sure everyone in the house knows where it is and how to turn it off.
Narre Warren soil and pipes
Most of Narre Warren sits on grey and yellow clay that holds water through winter and cracks open in a dry February. Pipes laid in it move a little every season. On the streets built in the 1970s and 1980s that means earthenware sewer joints that have shifted and let roots in. On the 1990s and 2000s estates south of the Princes Highway it usually means PVC lines that have sagged where the trench was backfilled, leaving a dip that collects grease and wipes. Up in Narre Warren North the blocks are bigger and the runs are longer, often to a septic system or a pump. We bring that local knowledge to every job, and we use a camera to confirm what is happening underground rather than guessing at it.
Related services
- Emergency plumbing
- Blocked drains
- Hot water repairs
- Gas fitting
- Hot water replacement
- Heat pumps
- Leaking taps
- Burst pipes
- Toilet repairs
- Leak detection
- Sewer and relining
- Stormwater
- Roof and gutters
- Bathroom plumbing
- Kitchen and laundry
- Backflow and commercial
More guides
Questions on this topic
Who owns the water meter?
The water corporation owns the meter. Pipes on the house side of the meter are the owner's responsibility.
My stopcock leaks when I turn it. What should I do?
Leave it on and call a plumber. A leaking or seized stopcock should be replaced.
Why Narre Warren calls us back
Local to the 3805 streets
From the Fountain Gate side streets to the estates off Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road, we know the homes and how they were plumbed.
One licence for the whole job
Water, sewer, stormwater and gas are all covered, so one plumber can usually finish what they start.
You approve the price first
The fault is found and explained, then priced. Nothing is done until you say go ahead.
Respect for your home
Covers on boots, sheets on floors, and the mess goes with us. We ring ahead if we are running late.
Get a free quote
Tell us what is going on and a licensed Narre Warren plumber will call you back.
How quoting works
Call 03 7075 3465 or send the form with a short note and a photo if you have one. A licensed plumber rings you back, asks a few questions and books a time that suits. On site they find the cause, talk you through the options and give you a fixed price. Nothing starts until you agree, and larger jobs get a free written quote you can take away and think about.
Need a plumber in Narre Warren?
Narre Warren, Narre Warren South, North and the suburbs around them. No rates on the website: we find the fault first, then give you the price.