How do I turn water back on in street please?

[Diy-not]

Someone turned my water supply off in the street today, it's none of the neighbours. It affects two properties, me and one other. The water board say it's not their problem and we have to turn it back on ourselves.

Been without water all day and have a two year old daughter so advice would be really appreciated, thanks!

[diamondgas]

to the forum Diy-not

Where abouts do you live, general area will do? Someone on here may be able to help you out! Are you the only ones affected in the street? How to turn it back on will depends on how new or old your service supply is to be honest!

[petercj]

If you have a metal plate in the pavement outside your property, about 10"x6", lift the lid and you should see a tap.

[Diy-not]

Hi thanks for the welcome and replies.

Well after a full day, the water board has actually appeared and a nice guy has just turned my supply back on. So relieved...

He thinks it's possibly to do with a little shoe repair place next door; he thinks that someone representing the business side of the water authority may have turned the mans supply off for not paying, and not realised that we all run off the same tap. It makes sense, the man was really wierd when me and my neighbour went to ask him about his water.

This may mean that this will happen again so I need to learn about how to turn my water back on!

By the way, the tap that supplies our four properties (and the little shoe repair place) is bizarrely under a metal plate in the next street, I know that much. I read that you need something long to reach down the the tap, past that I know nothing.... lol

[petercj]

You need one of these - best get a long one to avoid having to get on your knees:-

Stop Cock Key - Search Results | Screwfix.com

[Bernie2]

Hmm! Party main, communal main or whatever people want to call it. They where very common at one time. I would assume its probably one of three common types of valve that control it. Its either a screw down valve by itself for which you may need a crutch type water key. The crutch part is fairly obvious in how its used, when you see the key, It fits over the tap head crutch and you usually turn it clockwise to shut off and anti clockwise to open, they come in variouse lengths.


But then you may have a water meter (doubtful on a party main) but that also may have a crutch head tap you turn off. Its not worth buying a water key until you know which sort of stop tap you have.


Then you can have square shaped stop valves probably more rightly called a cock than a valve. These are usually quarter turn, so if you get a square head water key of the right length for your valve and one with the right size square, they come in various sizes as well. Ask the local water board or plumbing shop which size it is. When you put the key over the square cock turn it one quarter turn usually either way to get the water on. So if the key handle is pointing forward turn it a quarter turn so that it is looking sideways.
Once again you can also get variations some square head cocks are screw down which means you have to keep turning them until they shut off.


It may sound complicated but once you sort out which key you want and the sort of stop tap you have got its fairly easy to do.

[petercj]

Cheaper long key here - both places will refund if it's not the right one for your tap:-

Toolstation > Hand Tools > Plumbers Tools > Stop Cock Key

[Diy-not]

Thank you ever so much.
It's a square one. The water board guy had a crutch one and it didn't fit so he used a square one. I should have asked what size! But at least they're reasonably priced. I thought they'd be really expensive.

[Phil]

If its from Toolstation it will probably snap, like all the drill bits from there do.

[snowhead]

At least the valve is free, as it's already been turned.

[petercj]

If its from Toolstation it will probably snap, like all the drill bits from there do.

Probably best not to use it in a drill :-)

[glenno1]

Machine mart do a good multi-fit 1

[REDSAW]

If its from Toolstation it will probably snap, like all the drill bits from there do.

funny you say that!.
mine broke, the handle just dropped off? it was a monument type.

how do we know the other building dont have a big water leak or someone working on it?.lol/

[kay-jay]

how do we know the other building dont someone working on it?.lol/

Are you suggesting that us plumbers would start a repair without knocking on every door in the vicinity and carding all properties with no answer?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[hunterseye]

How do you get round that situation if your on a lengthy job in one house but half the street share the same outside stop valve. ????????