Water main shut off query

Spark Guard · Jan 30, 2016

hi

I live in a 5 storey ex-council block. the apartment's water mains is leaking and the pipework is too short to freeze. access the manifold for the floor would require scaffolding. so, it looks like I need to shut of the water to the building for a few minutes while we swap my apartment's main tap for a new one. I have a plumber is happy and ready to do this

the managing agent will sent out letters to all the apartments but says I need to arrange to switch off the water mains myself. the water main is a conventional tap, much like a brass garden tap but, it is about 40mm diameter on the horizontal section where the shut off tool would need to grab it and about 600mm down in a 150mm square hole. I've tried to paste an image below, but, it is not super clear:

the tap looks kind of like this but it is big: https://2ecffd01e1ab3e9383f0-07db7b...x800/a0001bbd-7b05-4a59-83cb-137f48dc7ac9.jpg

I can't find a water mains tap to shut it off- the biggest I can get would fit a tap with a diameter of about 25mm and I need about 40mm plus

thanks in advance

Ric2013 · Jan 30, 2016

Shut off tool... huh?

Surely all you need is a tool to sit over the tap head and turn it off and your plumber will do that for you?

snowhead · Jan 30, 2016

One of these;

stopcock Key 1m - Toolstation

The plumber should have one.

If the tap top is truly 40mm diameter just spread the fork on the stop tap key.

If it's the Water supplier cutting the water off, they are obliged to notify.
If it's a trades person cutting it off, it would be courtesy to warn.

If it's your own property, just shut the water off and get it done.
It'll be back on before anyone realises.

joni os · Jan 30, 2016

If not used for some time likely to be difficult to rotate. Make sure it will rotate freely before day of works and if necessary contact water supplier to fix.