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Active leak

What to do during an active water leak

Water is spraying, dripping through a ceiling or pooling across a floor. The order matters: make the area safe, stop the water if you safely can, then work out who to call.

What should you do first?

What safety hazards should you check first?

Do not walk into standing water that may be touching outlets, extension cords, floor-level appliances, a water heater’s controls or the electrical panel

Do not reach for a breaker if you would have to stand in water or touch wet surfaces to do it—call the electric utility or emergency services instead

Watch the ceiling—a sagging, bulging or soaked drywall ceiling can drop without warning

Treat dirty or smelly water as contaminated—water from a drain, toilet or sewer line needs gloves and should be kept away from children and pets

If you smell gas or there is a fire risk, leave and call 911 and the gas provider—a water leak can wait

Is this supply water, drain water or rain?

What you see	Most likely type	Does closing the main valve help?
Steady spray or flow that does not stop, even with every fixture off	Pressurized supply leak	Yes, usually
Water only appears when a sink, tub, toilet or washer drains	Drain or waste leak	Stop using the fixture; the main valve may not matter
Water with a sewage odor, or backing up from a floor drain or toilet	Sewer or drain problem	Stop using water in the house; the main valve alone will not fix it
Drips that started during a storm, under the roof or near a skylight	Roof or rain intrusion	No
Water under the air conditioner, furnace or evaporative cooler	Condensate line or appliance supply	Turn off the appliance; if it is water-fed, close its own supply valve

See plumbing leaks versus sewer, roof or monsoon moisture once things are under control.

How can you stop water safely?

Work from the leak outward. The closest valve stops the least water to the rest of the house.

Fixture and appliance shutoffs

Sinks and toilets: small oval or round handles under the sink or behind the toilet, turn clockwise. Washing machine: two valves behind it, usually hot and cold. Refrigerator ice maker or dishwasher: often under the kitchen sink or behind the appliance. Water heater: a cold-water valve on the inlet pipe at the top of the tank. Old fixture valves can be stiff—turn firmly but do not force one hard enough to snap it; if one will not move, go to the main shutoff.

The main shutoff for the house

On many homes the main valve is where the water line enters the building: on an outside wall, in the garage, near the water heater or in a utility closet. Some homes have a second valve near the front of the property. A lever valve is closed when the handle sits crosswise to the pipe; a round wheel valve closes clockwise and may take several turns. Once closed, open a faucet at the lowest point of the house to drain pressure from the pipes.

If the property runs on a private well

A well system does not have a utility meter or a utility-side valve. The pump keeps refilling the pressure tank as long as it has power. Closing the house valve stops water to the house after the pressure tank. To stop the pump itself, switch off its circuit at a breaker, but only from a dry, safe spot. See the private well and pressure tank guide for how these systems differ.

Which equipment should you leave alone?

Do not open a locked meter box or use tools on the water utility’s meter, curb stop or valves

Do not dig to find a buried pipe—Arizona requires a call to 811 before digging, and a leaking line can be close to gas, power or communication lines

Do not cut or clamp pipes unless you know what you are doing—a temporary fix can hide damage the repairer needs to see

Do not run a wet-vac, fan or dehumidifier from outlets in a wet area

Is the leak in the street or on your property?

Where the water appears	First call
Water rising from the street, curb, gutter, sidewalk or alley	Your water utility
Water bubbling up at or around the water meter box	Your water utility, to report it; do not open the box
Wet ground, water or a sinkhole between the meter and the house	Usually a private-side issue; confirm with your utility if unsure
Water inside the house, in walls, ceilings or floors	Private plumbing side
Water near sprinkler heads or valve boxes	Irrigation system, which is private

Exactly where a utility’s responsibility ends and the owner’s begins depends on the provider and the property. See Kingman water mains versus private water lines. City of Kingman customers can find current reporting details on the City’s official website; other providers’ customers should use their own provider’s contact details.

City of Kingman government contacts—not our line

If a leak appears to be in a street or at a utility meter, contact the water provider shown on your bill. City of Kingman customers can find current reporting details on the City’s official website; district and private-utility customers should use their own provider’s contact details.

How can you reduce damage after the flow stops?

Move belongings off wet floors and away from drips

Open cabinet doors under sinks and lift rugs so trapped water can dry

Mop or blot standing water where there is no electrical risk

Keep people out from under a sagging or bulging ceiling—place a bucket at a safe distance and do not puncture the ceiling yourself

Ventilate with windows or exterior doors where weather allows

Check the water heater—follow manufacturer instructions for its power or gas setting if supply will be off a while

What should you document about the leak?

When you first noticed the water, and whether it was getting worse

Whether it ran steadily or only when a fixture was used

Which valve you closed, and whether the water stopped afterward

Photos of the wet area, stains, the valve position and any visible pipe

Recent weather: a storm, or a cold night

A water meter reading, if you can read it without opening locked equipment

Coverage depends on your policy and the cause of the damage, so check with your insurer directly.

Who should you call next?

Your situation	Kind of help to look for
Water stopped, a visible broken pipe or failed fitting	A licensed plumbing repairer—see water leak repair
Water stopped, but you cannot tell where it came from	Leak investigation first—see hidden wall, ceiling and floor leak detection
Water in the street or at the meter	Your water utility
Sewage or drain backup	A drain and sewer professional
Leak during a storm, under the roof	A roofing professional
Water from an AC, furnace or evaporative cooler	The appliance’s service provider or a plumber

Cold nights and monsoon storms

After a hard freeze, check exposed outdoor pipes, hose bibs and lines in unheated spaces—a split pipe may not leak until it thaws

During or after heavy rain, a wet ceiling or wall may be rain intrusion, not plumbing—a meter test once the storm has passed can help tell them apart

Frequently asked questions

Should I turn off the main water valve even if I’m not sure it’s a pipe?

Usually, yes. Closing your own main valve is low-risk and tells you something useful. If the water keeps coming, the source is probably a drain, the roof or an appliance.

Can I turn off the water at the meter?

Avoid it. The meter and the valve beside it normally belong to the water utility. If your house valve will not close or cannot be found, call your utility and explain.

The water stopped on its own. Is it still urgent?

It may be. Water inside walls, floors or ceilings can keep spreading after the visible drip stops. Dry the area, take photos, and arrange an inspection soon.

What if the leak is in the street outside my house?

Report it to your water utility. Street and right-of-way leaks are generally handled by the utility’s own crews, not by private contractors.

Is it safe to use my water once the leak is stopped?

You can keep the affected section closed and use the rest of the house if a closer valve isolated the leak. If you had to close the main valve, keep it closed until the leak is repaired.

Should I call a leak detection company or a plumber?

If the damaged pipe or fitting is visible, a plumbing repairer may be enough. If you cannot see the source, an investigation first can stop you from opening walls or floors in the wrong place.

Need help working out what happened?

If the water is under control and you’d like help narrowing down where it came from, call Kingman Leakcrest at (928) 437-2800.

Call (928) 437-2800