How Do I Identify and Locate My Curb Stop Valve?

[sevensages]

TL;DR

Where is my curb stop?

My water meter is submerged under water for about 95% of the year. Today I took a photograph of the inside of my water meter box because today is one of the rare days that my water meter is not submerged in water. Here is the photograph that I took of my water meter with the cover on:

Here is a photograph I took of my water meter with the cover off:

I edited the photograph to draw a red circle around a knob on my water meter. Is that knob that I drew a red circle around my meter stop valve? If the knob that I drew a red circle around is not my meter stop valve, what is the purpose of the knob that I drew a red circle around?

Where is my curb box? Is my curb box inside the water meter box? If my curb box is not inside my water meter box, where would my curb stop be?

 

[berkeman]

That sure looks like your curb box to me.

And I'm not familiar with the term "curb stop", but if it's the shutoff valve that the water company uses when you don't pay your water bill, the thing in the red circle is it. You can tell because when the two rings are not aligned, you water is still on. When the valve is turned to align the two rings and a water company padlock is locked through them, your water is off.

 

[berkeman]

BTW, for most water shutoffs like that, a special tool is usually needed. From your photo of your water meter box, it looks like a crescent wrench might work, but in general there is not enough room for the offset crescent wrench to reliably engage and turn the vertical valve.

The first below is the type of shutoff tool that is used by the water company and the second is the combination shutoff tool most Emergency Response folks carry:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https://www.amazon.com/Utility-Handle-Ergonomic-Design-Wrench/dp/B0BJZW16QH&psig=AOvVaw22VaN3-IMmhxe4I6IEbwbC&ust=1758232660079000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBoQ3YkBahcKEwjgmamo5eCPAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQBA

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https://www.emergencykits.com/emergency-supplies/tools/4-in-1-emergency-tool-gas-and-water-shut-off/?srsltid=AfmBOopoC3LY8RJtxVZHji0QTnXYIZ00swr2igmzbrtN_mb9rlEmk8SU&psig=AOvVaw22VaN3-IMmhxe4I6IEbwbC&ust=1758232660079000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBoQ3YkBahcKEwjgmamo5eCPAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQCQ

 

[sevensages]

That sure looks like your curb box to me.

And I'm not familiar with the term "curb stop", but if it's the shutoff valve that the water company uses when you don't pay your water bill, the thing in the red circle is it. You can tell because when the two rings are not aligned, you water is still on. When the valve is turned to align the two rings and a water company padlock is locked through them, your water is off.

The curb stop is also known as the curb stop valve. I don't know whether or not the curb stop valve is the shutoff valve that the water company uses when one does not pay one's water bill.

Thank you for the information.

 

[sevensages]

That sure looks like your curb box to me.

And I'm not familiar with the term "curb stop", but if it's the shutoff valve that the water company uses when you don't pay your water bill, the thing in the red circle is it. You can tell because when the two rings are not aligned, you water is still on. When the valve is turned to align the two rings and a water company padlock is locked through them, your water is off.

What exactly is my curb box? Is the knob that I drew the red circle around my curb box? Or is the pipe that the knob (that I drew a red circle around) connects to my curb box? Or are you describing the entire inside of the water meter box my curb box?

 

[berkeman]

the entire inside of the water meter box my curb box?

That would be my guess.

 

[Herman Trivilino]

I don't know whether or not the curb stop valve is the shutoff valve that the water company uses when one does not pay one's water bill.

As @berkeman pointed out, those rings are used by the water company to lock the valve in the closed position. To turn the water off you rotate the valve 90 degrees. That rectangular piece of metal is the valve "handle". That is, you place the tool on it to operate the valve. When it's perpendicular to the flow direction the valve is off.

What exactly is my curb box?

The box is the enclosure. That cover you removed forms the top of that box.