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I WORK FOR THE GARLAND WATER UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.TODAY I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU HOW TO QUICKLY AND SAFELY TURN OFF YOUR WATER IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO TURN OFF THE WATER TO YOUR HOUSE, EITHER AT THE WATER METER OR THE HOUSE SHUTOFF VALVE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD KNOWS HOW TO TURN OFF THE WATER USING BOTH METHODS.
THE CITY OF GARLAND HAS A WATER MAIN LINE THAT RUNS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND EACH HOME AND BUSINESS IN GARLAND HAS A SERVICE LINE THAT BRINGS THEM WATER BETWEEN YOUR HOUSE AND THE WATER MAIN ALONG YOUR SERVICE LINE.
THERE IS A METER THAT MEASURES THE AMOUNT OF WATER BEING USED AT YOUR HOUSE.
THE PIPE BEFORE AND INCLUDING THE METER BELONGS TO THE CITY OF GARLAND AND THE PIPE AFTER THE METER BELONGS TO THE HOMEOWNER.
WATER METERS ARE FOUND INSIDE CONCRETE METER BOXES, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY LOCATED WITHIN YOUR PROPERTY LINES, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE ROAD AND YOUR SIDEWALK.
AT THIS HOME, YOU CAN SEE THE WATER METER BOX IS LOCATED ALONG THE VERY EDGE OF THE PROPERTY LINE.
THE NEIGHBOR'S WATER METER BOX IS ALSO LOCATED AROUND THE SAME LOCATION ON THEIR SIDE OF THE PROPERTY LINE.
IF YOUR WATER METER BOX IS NOT VISIBLE LIKE THIS ONE, IT'S PROBABLY COVERED BY VEGETATION, SOIL, OR HIDDEN ON THE BRUSHES.
YOU MAY NEED TO WALK AROUND THE PROPERTY LINE AND POKE AROUND THE GROUND TO LOCATE IT.
OTHER TYPES OF METER BOXES MAY BE LOCATED IN THIS AREA AS WELL, LIKE THOSE FOR UNDERGROUND CABLE, PHONE, OR FIBER OPTIC LINES.
IN THE CITY OF GARLAND, THERE ARE SIX DIFFERENT TYPES OF WATER METER BOXES LOCATED OUTSIDE THE RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR WATER METER BOX, YOU'LL BE LOOKING FOR ONE OF THESE LIDS FROM THE METER.
THE WATER SERVICE TYPICALLY RUNS IN A STRAIGHT LINE TO THE NEAREST FAUCET IN YOUR HOME, WHICH SUPPLIES WATER TO YOUR HOUSE.
THE HOUSE SHUTOFF VALVE IS USUALLY LOCATED HERE.
IF YOU CANNOT LOCATE THE HOUSE SHUTOFF VALVE, HAVE A PLUMBER COME OUT AND FIND IT FOR YOU.
MARK IT SO EVERYONE IN THE HOME KNOWS WHERE IT IS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
NOW THAT YOU'VE SUCCESSFULLY LOCATED YOUR WATER METER BOX, LET'S OPEN IT UP TO TURN OFF THE WATER QUICKLY AND SAFELY.
HERE ARE THE TWO TOOLS YOU SHOULD USE TO TURN OFF YOUR WATER.
ONE THE METER KEY TO ACCESS YOUR METER.
YOU CAN FIND IT AT YOUR LOCAL HARDWARE STORE.
THIS IS THE ONLY TOOL YOU SHOULD USE TO TURN OFF YOUR WATER.
INSERT THE METER KEY INTO THE CURVE SLOT ON A LID, AND TURN IT COUNTERCLOCKWISE UNTIL YOU FILL IT.
UNLOCK USING THE KEY AS A HOOK.
REMOVE THE LID SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY.
TAKE CARE NOT TO DAMAGE THE WIRES ATTACHED TO THE LID.
THESE WIRES HELP THE CITY OF GARLAND.
READ YOUR WATER METER QUICKLY AND ACCURATELY.
PLACE THE CUTOFF WRENCH OVER THE SHUTOFF VALVE KNOB AND SLOWLY TURN THE WRENCH CLOCKWISE WITH A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE INTO IT WON'T TURN ANYMORE.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO FORCE THE SHUT OFF VALVE.
IF THE KNOB HAS NOT BEEN USED IN A WHILE, IT COULD BE LOCKED UP.
FORCING THIS VALVE CAN DAMAGE YOUR METER, YOU CAN CAN ALSO TURN OFF THE WATER AT THE HOUSE SHUTOFF VALVE AT THIS HOME, THE HOUSE SHUTOFF VALVE IS LOCATED NEXT TO AN OUTDOOR SPIGOT.
THIS ONE IS INSIDE A PROTECTED BOX, BUT YOURS MAY BE BURIED UP TO TWO FEET UNDERGROUND.
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO TURN THE WATER BACK ON, TURN THE METER SHUTOFF VALVE COUNTERCLOCKWISE BACK INTO IT TO ORIGINAL POSITION.
BE SURE TO TURN THE WATER BACK ON SLOWLY TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO YOUR PIPES.
DO NOT LEAVE THE METER BOX OPEN.
WHEN YOU'RE DONE BEING CAREFUL NOT TO DAMAGE ANY OF THE WIRES OR THE METER REED DEVICE ATTACHED TO THE LID.
TO REQUEST WATER OR WASTEWATER MAINTENANCE, EMERGENCY SERVICE OR REPORT AN ISSUE, VISIT GARLAND EASSIST OR CALL 9 7 2 2 0 5 3 2 1 0.