Where is your main water shutoff?
Your main water shutoff is the valve that stops water to the whole house. On city water there are usually two: one in the meter box at the street, which belongs to the city, and one on your side, often where the line enters the house or crawlspace. On a well, you close the valve after the pressure tank and switch off the pump breaker.
Street to Drainfield · updated · sources listed at the end
Which shutoff valve is yours to turn?
The one on the house side of the meter. The City of Olympia's drinking water page, read on 6 November 2026, says only city staff are authorized to access the meter to turn water off or on, and quotes the municipal code: damaging or interfering with the water system is prohibited. Olympia's high-pressure leaflet repeats it: the shutoff valve in the meter box is for city employees only.
Everything from the meter to the house is the owner's side. Lacey's billing form for leaks describes that stretch as the main line running from the meter box directly to the house. For the full split, see who owns which pipe.
Where is the main water shutoff in a rambler?
Start where the water line comes in. In a one-story house on a crawlspace, the service usually rises through the foundation or the floor near the front hose bib, the kitchen, or the water heater. Follow the pipe from the outdoor faucet nearest the street; the house valve is often within a few feet of it. If the water heater sits in a garage, check the wall behind it too.
A farmhouse that has been added onto may hide the valve in an old pump room, a utility porch or a cellar. Once you find it, label it and make sure everyone in the house knows how to reach it. The CDC advises knowing how to turn off your water before an emergency.
What if the house has no shutoff of its own?
Then the city valve is the only one, and you have to call. In Olympia, Public Works will schedule a shutoff at no charge if you call two days ahead, and leaks are handled around the clock on the same line, listed on the Utility Billing page. There is no charge during business hours or for after-hours emergencies; a non-emergency after-hours disconnect or reconnect costs $110.
Olympia's PRV leaflet describes a cleaner setup: a second box within three feet of the city meter box, holding your own shutoff valve. The city says that lets you shut your water off when you need to. Adding a valve is plumbing work. Under Washington L&I's plumber certification rules, an owner may work on plumbing at a property the owner holds title to, while anyone working on another person's property must be an L&I-certified plumber. Check with your city on permits before you dig.
How do you shut off water in a well-system home?
Two steps, both on your side. First switch the pump off at its breaker in the electrical panel, which is the step the Department of Health's pressure tank tech tip lists before any tank work. Then close the valve on the line leaving the pressure tank toward the house. Flip the breaker only. Pressure switches, wiring and the pump itself belong to a licensed electrician or pump installer. The parts are explained in the well pump and pressure tank.
How do you keep the main water shutoff working?
Turn it gently once or twice a year so you know it moves, and stop if it binds or drips at the stem. A stuck or weeping valve is a job for a plumber, not a pipe wrench. Outside, Olympia asks owners not to pile dirt, plant landscaping, or set pots and ornaments on the meter box, so crews can reach it fast.
What about Lacey and Tumwater?
Lacey's winter storm tips tell residents to shut off the water main immediately if a pipe breaks and call a plumber. It does not say who may turn the valve in the meter box, so use the house valve and ask Lacey Public Works about the meter. Tumwater customers: check meter and shutoff rules with the City of Tumwater, through the City of Tumwater's website, and use the house valve in the meantime.
Yours to do
- Find and label the house-side valve before you need it.
- Turn it a little once or twice a year to keep it free.
- On a well, switch off the pump breaker and close the tank outlet valve.
- Keep the meter box lid clear of soil, pots and plants.
Leave to a licensed or certified pro
- Turning the valve inside a city meter box (city crews only).
- Replacing a stuck or leaking main valve (a licensed plumber).
- Adding a shutoff box at the street side (a plumber, with any city permit).
- Pressure switch, pump wiring or pump work (a licensed electrician or pump installer).
On the record
- $0Olympia shutoff during business hours or an after-hours emergencyCity of Olympia
- $110Olympia after-hours non-emergency disconnect or reconnectCity of Olympia
- 3 feetOlympia's suggested distance for a homeowner valve box from the meterCity of Olympia
- 2 daysNotice Olympia asks for a scheduled shutoffCity of Olympia
A store to look at
If your house valve is an old gate valve that will not close, PlumbingSupplyAndMore's ball valve section shows the quarter-turn replacements plumbers fit, sorted by size and connection. The store is run by the same team as this site.
Common questions
Can I use a meter key on the city valve in an emergency?
Not in Olympia, where only city staff may operate the meter, and damage is billed to the owner. Call the city's 24-hour leak line and use your house valve while you wait.
My house valve is a round handle that spins without closing. What now?
Leave it in place and call the city to shut water at the meter, then have a plumber replace it. Forcing an old valve can break the stem and start a new leak.
Does shutting off a well's breaker drain the system?
No. The pressure tank still holds water under pressure until you open a tap. That is why you close the valve after the tank as well as switching off the breaker.
Is a ball valve better than a gate valve for the main?
A ball valve closes with a quarter turn, which makes it quick to use in a hurry. Whether yours should be replaced, and with what size, is a question for a plumber who can see the pipe.
Do I need to tell the city before I shut my own valve?
Nothing on Olympia's or Lacey's pages asks you to call before closing a valve on your side. The call is for work that needs the city valve shut.
Sources
- City of Olympia: Drinking Water — only city staff operate the meter; shutoff requests, fees, keep the box clear; read 6 November 2026
- City of Olympia: Utility Billing — no charge for emergency shutoffs, $110 after-hours non-emergency; read 6 November 2026
- City of Olympia: High Water Pressure leaflet — meter box valve for city employees only; second box within three feet; read 6 November 2026
- City of Lacey: Leak Adjustment Request Form — main line from meter box to house; read 6 November 2026
- City of Lacey: Snow and Ice Response — shut off the main if a pipe breaks; read 6 November 2026
- Washington L&I: About the Plumber Program — who may do plumbing work; read 6 November 2026
- Washington DOH: Troubleshooting Bladder Pressure Tanks — pump power off before tank work; read 6 November 2026
- CDC: Reentering Your Flooded Home — know how to turn off water; read 6 November 2026
How this page was put together. Built on City of Olympia and City of Lacey utility pages, Washington L&I and DOH publications, and CDC guidance, all read on 6 November 2026. Tumwater's meter rules could not be confirmed, so they are not stated. The page gives no instructions for meter keys, pump wiring or pressure switches.
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