How to Shut Off Your Main Water Supply

Knowing how to shut off your main water supply before you need to is one of the simplest things that makes the biggest difference during a plumbing emergency.

Finding your main stopcock

In most South African homes, the main stopcock is located near the water meter, often at the property boundary or just inside it, sometimes in a small underground box with a lid. In some homes there’s also an internal stopcock, typically near where the main line enters the house — under a kitchen sink or in a utility area.

How to shut it off

Most stopcocks are a simple valve — turn it clockwise (righty-tighty) until it stops. If it’s a lever-style valve, turning it a quarter turn so it’s perpendicular to the pipe usually shuts it off. Older valves that haven’t been used in a while can be stiff; avoid excessive force that could snap the handle, and use a wrench gently if needed.

Why you should test it now, not during an emergency

A valve that’s seized from years of not being used is a problem you don’t want to discover during an actual burst pipe. Testing it periodically — turning it off and back on once or twice a year — keeps it functional and confirms you actually know where it is and how it works.

Make sure everyone in the household knows

In an emergency, whoever’s home first needs to be able to act immediately. Show household members where the stopcock is and how to use it, rather than being the only person who knows.

This takes a few minutes to sort out, and it’s the difference between a contained situation and significant water damage the next time something goes wrong.