Most water meters have a meter box in front of the house or property near the street. The top of the box is usually a 3-inch or 4-inch diameter disk. Follow these steps to turn on or shut off water to your home. For information about starting, stopping, or changing your utility service, learn how to manage your City of Salem utility service account.

How to Shut off Water Service

1. Always shut off your hot water heater before shutting off your water service to avoid damaging your water heater.
2. Locate your water meter. Water meters are installed inside meter boxes. If you are unable to locate your meter, call Public Works Dispatch.
3. Remove the metal lid from the meter box. You can use a standard screw driver to lift the lid.
4. Once the metal lid is removed, there will be a concrete cover that you can be lift up and off.
5. On some service lines, there will be a hand-operated shut-off valve on the customer side of the meter, which is the side closest to your house. If there is no hand valve on the customer side of the meter, there is always a valve on the side of the meter closest to the street. This valve is called a “curb stop valve,” and it requires a curb stop key to operate. You can buy a curb stop key at many local hardware stories, or you can check one out for free from the City of Salem’s Finance or Public Works offices. Please call ahead to make sure a key is available.

How to Turn on Your Water Service

1. Open an outside faucet first. This will allow air in the lines to escape when you turn the water back on.
2. Carefully and slowly turn the curb stop or hand valve until it stops.
3. Allow water to run from the outside faucet a few minutes, and then turn off the outside faucet.

If you are unable to turn your water service off or on, please call Public Works Dispatch.