For round valves, turn the valve all the way clockwise to shut your water off, and all the way counterclockwise to open your water supply. With lever valves, the water is off when it’s perpendicular to the pipe. Turn the lever so that it’s parallel to the pipe to turn the water back on.
If your home hasn’t been worked on in a long time, this pipe is very likely going to look older than a lot of the piping in your basement. This pipe will probably be copper or cast iron. In a newer home (or a home that has been recently renovated), this pipe may be rigid plastic or PVC.
If you live in a slab home with no basement, the shut-off valve should be in the closet next to your heater.
The meter is normally in your basement, but it may be outdoors if you live in a warmer climate. When your city started installing water meters, they would have put it right next to the shut-off valve on the supply pipe.
Water meters typically look like round metal containers with a little dial on top.
In extremely rare cases, the valve will be buried underground. Unfortunately, you’ll need to contact your city or the water department to find out where your valve is located.
