A simple guide for homeowners in San Antonio, Austin, and Lakeway, Texas
A burst pipe or major leak can flood your home in minutes. Knowing how to shut off your water main is one of the most useful things any Central Texas homeowner can learn. In San Antonio, Austin, and Lakeway, the process is straightforward once you know where to look.
Here’s a clear, step-by-step guide.
Step 1: Locate Your Water Meter
In the San Antonio, Austin, and Lakeway areas, the water meter is almost always outside, near the front of your property.
- Look for a buried utility box with a lid (round, oval, or rectangular) near the curb, sidewalk, or along the property line between your house and the street.
- On corner lots it may be on the side of the house. In some older San Antonio neighborhoods it can be in the alley.
- The lid is usually metal or heavy plastic and may say “WATER” or have the utility logo (SAWS in San Antonio, Austin Water, or the local provider in Lakeway/West Travis County).
Tip: If grass or dirt has grown over the lid, gently probe the ground in a straight line from the front hose bib toward the street.
Step 2: Find Your Water Main Shut-Off Valve
Most homes in the San Antonio–Austin–Lakeway area have a customer-owned shut-off valve on the house side of the meter (the side closer to your home).
- It is often a ball valve with a straight handle or a round knob.
- When the handle is parallel to the pipe, water is on. When it is perpendicular (turned a quarter turn), water is off.
- In some setups the valve is in its own small box just a foot or so toward the house from the main meter box. In others it is inside the same meter box.
Important: Do not force a stuck valve. Turning it too hard can break it and create a bigger problem.
Step 3: Open the Meter Box Safely
Once you know where the shut-off valve is located:
- Use a flathead screwdriver, meter key, or pliers to lift or pry the lid open.
- Watch for spiders, ants, or other critters—common in South Texas.
- Inside the box you’ll see the water meter and the valve(s).
Step 4: USE YOUR WATER MAIN TOOL To Turn the Water Off
- Place the end of your water main shut off tool on the water valve – it looks like an oven knob with an arrow on it….
- Grasp the valve handle firmly.
- Turn it clockwise (righty-tighty) a quarter turn until it stops and sits perpendicular to the pipe.
- If you can’t find your water main shut off tool, use a pair of channel-lock pliers or a crescent wrench for gentle extra leverage—do not yank or hammer it.
Step 5: Confirm the Water Is Off
- Go inside and open a faucet (preferably the lowest one in the house).
- Water should stop flowing within 15–30 seconds.
- If water keeps running, double-check that you turned the correct valve or that it turned fully.
What to Do Next? CALL US: Air & Plumbing Today!
Call us anytime: 24/7 – a LIVE person will answer!
(210) 519-5959 or (512) 859-5959.
Once the water is off, you can safely clean up, contain any remaining water, and wait for professional help.
Air & Plumbing Today provides 24/7 emergency plumbing service throughout San Antonio, Austin, Lakeway, and surrounding communities. Our licensed technicians respond quickly to burst pipes, major leaks, and other urgent plumbing problems.
We’ll get a professional out to you as soon as possible so you can stop the damage and get your water back on safely.