Where Is My Water Shut-Off Valve? Turning Off Water and Reading Your Meter in Hawaii
Short answer: your home's main shut-off is usually outside, on your side of the property line, either a few feet from the water meter or on the wall where the pipe enters the house, often near a hose faucet or in the garage. Close it first. On Oahu, do not open the Board of Water Supply meter box; call (808) 748-5000, ext. 1 if the water has to be shut off at the meter. Each county's water department has its own 24-hour or dispatch number, listed below.
Last updated October 24, 2026. We are an independent referral service, not a plumbing contractor or a water utility. Everything below comes from the county water departments and state pages listed at the bottom. Rules differ by county, so follow your own water department's instructions.
Find your shut-off before you need it
- Start at the meter. Meters are usually in a concrete or metal-lidded box near the street at the front of the lot. On Oahu, BWS says meters sit in the public right-of-way and its responsibility ends there.
- Walk the pipe toward the house. BWS says the property shut-off valve is inside the property line, either a few feet from the meter or on an outside wall of the home. Kauai's Department of Water describes the same spot: a few feet from the meter, on your side.
- Check behind and below hose faucets. Hawaii County's water department says the main valve is typically directly behind an outdoor faucet in the garage, or outside below an outdoor faucet.
- Look under plants and storage. Overgrown hedges, carport storage and dirt can hide a valve for years. Clear it now; every county asks owners to keep valves and meter boxes accessible.
- Condo or townhouse? Your unit may have its own valves (often near the water heater, in a utility closet or under sinks), and the building's main valve is controlled by management. Ask your building manager where your unit's shut-off is and who is allowed to close the building supply.
Once you find it, tag it and show everyone in the household. The state Department of Human Services recommends labeling the main valve and making sure it closes completely, because a valve that only partly closes, or is rusted open, will not help in an emergency.
How to close it
| Valve type | What it looks like | How to close |
|---|---|---|
| Ball valve (lever) | A straight handle that runs parallel to the pipe when open. BWS calls it a "knife-style" handle. | A quarter turn, so the handle sits across the pipe. Many have a stop so they only turn one way. |
| Gate or globe valve (wheel or knob) | A round handle that turns several times. | Most close clockwise. BWS's page describes turning a round knob counter-clockwise a few turns, so if your valve will not stop the water one way, turn it gently the other way. Stop when it is snug; do not force it. |
Check that it worked: open a faucet inside, or the hose bib next to the valve. The flow should taper off and stop. If your water heater is electric and the water will be off for a while or the tank may drain, turn off the water heater's breaker too; BWS gives the same advice for when you leave town.
Turning it back on: open the valve slowly, then run an outside faucet to push out air. After a county service interruption, Maui's water department suggests running an outside faucet about 10 minutes, then an inside faucet about 10 minutes, to clear air and sediment.
The meter box: who is allowed to touch it, by county
| County | What the water department says | Number to call |
|---|---|---|
| Oahu (Honolulu BWS) | BWS owns and maintains the meter box; only its employees should touch it. Call on the day of your repair and BWS will send a troubleshooter within a two-hour window to shut off at the meter. | (808) 748-5000, ext. 1 |
| Maui County DWS | Publishes a guide for customers to open the box and read the meter. If the box is locked, call to have it unlocked and do not force it open. Emergency turn-offs and leaking meters go to the 24-hour trouble line. | 24 hours: (808) 270-7633. Locked box or meter location: (808) 270-7730, ext. 7 |
| Hawaii County DWS | Publishes a sheet on turning off the meter valve for a home repair: lift the heavy cover and turn only the valve on the property side of the meter 90 degrees clockwise; reverse to restore water. | 24 hours: (808) 961-8790. Hilo office (808) 961-8050 |
| Kauai DOW | Says your first move if a pipe or fixture is damaged is the property valve near the meter. The department installs and maintains the service connection and its shut-off; the owner maintains the supply pipe from there. | (808) 245-5444 or (808) 245-5400, option 1. After hours: KPD non-emergency (808) 241-1711 |
Some plumbing sites suggest using a "meter key" on the curb valve if your house valve is stuck. On Oahu that conflicts with BWS's instructions, so call BWS instead.
How to read your meter and check for a leak
- Stop all water use inside and outside: faucets, toilets, the washer, the dishwasher, irrigation and the ice maker.
- Find the leak indicator. Depending on the brand it is a small triangle or star dial, a small silver wheel, or a red needle. Maui's guide for a standard 5/8-inch home meter shows both a leak indicator needle and a separate slow-leak indicator. If either moves while nothing is running, water is leaking.
- Or use two readings. Write down the number, wait one to two hours without using any water, and read it again. Any change is a leak. On Maui meters, billing use is in thousands of gallons, shown in the digits on the white background.
- Inside or outside? Close your home's main shut-off and check again. Hawaii County's water department explains that if the meter stops, the leak is inside the house; if it keeps moving, it is in the pipe between the meter and the house.
- Toilets first. Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If color shows in the bowl within 15 to 30 minutes, the flapper is leaking, one of the most common silent leaks.
On Oahu, BWS asks customers not to open the meter box. If you cannot read your meter without opening it, call BWS at (808) 748-5000 with questions about your meter or use.
Who pays for which leak
- Utility side: the meter and the service connection up to it. On Oahu, BWS says it delivers water to the meter only and its jurisdiction ends at the property line. On Kauai, the department maintains the service connection it installs. A leak at the meter or in the street is the water department's to fix, so report it.
- Owner side: everything after the meter, including the underground line to the house, your shut-off valve, and all the pipes and fixtures inside. Kauai's rules say the consumer's supply pipe "shall at all times remain the sole property of the consumer."
- Condos: who pays for a pipe inside the walls depends on your association's documents. Ask your manager before repairs start.
For a leak you cannot find, see leak detection. For a broken or stuck main valve, see fixture and valve repair. In a flood, see emergency plumbing.
Keep your valve working
- Close and reopen it once a year so it does not seize. If it is stiff, leaks at the stem, or does not fully stop the water, have it replaced.
- Ask a plumber about replacing an old wheel-style valve with a quarter-turn ball valve, which is faster to close in an emergency. Small like-for-like valve replacements by a licensed contractor can fall under Honolulu's $2,500 permit exemption; see our plumbing permit guide.
- Heading off-island? BWS and Kauai's water department both suggest closing your property valve before a long trip so a leak cannot flood the house or run up the bill. Turn off an electric water heater's power at the same time.
- Get prices first: our Honolulu plumber cost guide lists published call fees and hourly rates, and how to check a plumber's license takes two minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the main water shut-off valve on a Hawaii home?
On Oahu, the Board of Water Supply says the property shut-off valve is inside the property line, either a few feet from the water meter or on an outside wall of the house. Hawaii County's water department says it is often directly behind or below an outdoor faucet, or in the garage. Kauai's water department also says it is usually a few feet from the meter on your side of the property line.
Can I open the water meter box to shut off my water in Honolulu?
No. The Board of Water Supply owns the meter box and says only its employees should touch it. Use your own property shut-off valve. If you need the water shut off at the meter for a repair, call BWS at (808) 748-5000, ext. 1; BWS says it will send a troubleshooter within a two-hour window.
Who do I call to shut off water at the meter on Maui, Hawaii Island or Kauai?
Maui County Department of Water Supply: (808) 270-7633, 24 hours, for an emergency turn-off or a leaking meter. Hawaii County Department of Water Supply: (808) 961-8790, 24 hours, all districts. Kauai Department of Water: (808) 245-5444 or (808) 245-5400 option 1, and after hours the police non-emergency line at (808) 241-1711.
How do I use my water meter to check for a leak?
Stop all water use inside and outside, then look at the meter's leak indicator (a small triangle, star or wheel, or a red needle on some meters). If it moves while nothing is running, water is leaking somewhere. You can also write down the reading, wait one to two hours without using water, and read it again.
How do I tell if a leak is inside the house or in the yard?
Hawaii County's water department suggests closing your home's main shut-off valve and checking the meter again. If the meter stops, the leak is inside the house. If it keeps moving, the leak is in the pipe between the meter and the house, which is usually the owner's pipe to fix.
Who pays to fix a leak between the meter and my house?
On Oahu, BWS says its responsibility ends at the meter and property line, and the pipe on your side is yours to maintain. Kauai's rules say the same about the consumer's supply pipe. If you are not sure which side the leak is on, call your water department before hiring anyone.
My shut-off valve is stuck. What should I do?
Do not force it with a pipe wrench; an old valve can snap. Call your water department for an emergency shut-off at the meter, then have a licensed plumber replace the valve with a quarter-turn ball valve. The state Department of Human Services advises making sure your main valve closes completely and replacing it if it does not.
Sources
- Honolulu Board of Water Supply: Leak detection (property shut-off valve location and styles, do not enter the meter box, call (808) 748-5000 ext. 1 for a meter shut-off; page updated April 10, 2026)
- Honolulu BWS board meeting material, March 23, 2026 (PDF) (meters are in the public right-of-way; BWS delivers water to the meter only; customer piping is the owner's responsibility)
- Maui County DWS: How to read your water meter (leak indicator, slow leak indicator, gallons)
- Maui County DWS: How to read your meter and check for leaks (PDF) (locked meter box: call 270-7730 ext. 7, do not force it)
- Maui County DWS: Frequently asked questions (24-hour trouble line 270-7633 for emergency turn-off or a meter leak; customer service 270-7730)
- Hawaii County DWS: How to detect for leaks (meter test, inside vs. outside leak test, typical main valve locations)
- Hawaii County DWS: How to turn off a water meter (PDF, January 2021)
- Kauai Department of Water: Leaks and detection (property valve a few feet from the meter; shut it off when you travel)
- Kauai Department of Water: Home page (dispatch (808) 245-5444 or (808) 245-5400 option 1; after hours KPD non-emergency (808) 241-1711)
- Kauai DOW Rules and Regulations, Section VI (PDF) (consumer owns and maintains the supply pipe from the department's shut-off valve)
- Hawaii Department of Human Services: Utility shut-off and safety (use the main house valve, not the street valve; label it; make sure it fully closes)