How to tell if outage is city or house

Quick Answer:

Do three quick checks: (1) ask two neighbors, (2) check your meter inlet pressure or flow, (3) run the hose bib closest to where the service enters the house. If the inlet is dead or both neighbors have no water, it’s a city outage. If inlet flow is good but house fixtures are dead, the problem is inside your plumbing.

Why This Happens

Water can stop at two basic points: the public supply (city or utility mains) or the private side (your service line, shutoff, or internal plumbing). City problems often affect multiple homes at once. Internal problems usually leave the street supply working but prevent water from reaching faucets or fixtures inside your walls.

If pressure returns at the meter but taps inside still don’t work, that can point to valves or branch problems—see Water restored but fixtures won’t work. If pressure drops slowly before stopping across a neighborhood, that pattern is different—see House water supply fades slowly then stops.

Step-by-Step What to Do

Step 1 — Ask two neighbors

• Call or knock on the doors of the nearest two houses on either side, or across the street. If both neighbors have no water, the issue is likely with the city or utility main.
• If neighbors have water, the outage is likely limited to your property.

Step 2 — Check your meter inlet pressure/flow

• Locate your water meter or the service entry point at the property line or basement. Many meters have a small dial or flow indicator you can see; you can also test pressure at a hose bib on the supply side of your main shutoff if you know which is which.
• If the meter shows no flow and there’s no pressure at the inlet, the supply from the street is off — contact the city or utility.
• If the meter shows normal flow or there’s good pressure at the meter inlet, the supply from the street is present and the issue is inside your property.

Step 3 — Test a hose bib closest to the entry

• Find an outdoor hose spigot or bib that is closest to where the water service enters the house or closest to the meter. Open it fully and observe flow.
• Good steady flow at that bib while indoor faucets are dead means the problem is internal (shutoffs, valves, or branch piping). No flow at that bib while neighbors are also out points to the city.

Decision summary:

• If inlet is dead or both neighbors report no water → city/utility problem.
• If inlet or entry bib has good pressure but indoor fixtures do not → internal plumbing problem; call a plumber.

What Not to Do

• Don’t call a plumber blind — do the three-check triage first so you know whether to contact the city or a plumber.
• Don’t start opening walls or cutting into pipe runs before confirming the supply is present at the meter or entry point.
• Avoid forcing old valves open with excessive leverage; that can break a valve and make a small problem worse.

When to Call a Professional

• Call your water utility if multiple neighbors are out, the meter inlet shows no flow, or the utility reports an outage. Have your address and any meter reading available.
• Call a licensed plumber if the meter/entry bib has good pressure but indoor fixtures have no water, or if you find a leak, loss of pressure limited to your house, or a stuck/broken shutoff you can’t safely operate.
• Call a plumber immediately for active, uncontrolled leaks inside walls or ceilings, flooding, or if you must shut off water and can’t locate the main shutoff valve.

Safety Notes

• If a leak is flooding living spaces, turn off the house main shutoff to stop water and protect electrical systems; if unsure where it is, prioritize safety and contact a plumber or emergency services if water reaches electrical panels.
• Standing water can hide electrical hazards. Don’t walk barefoot through flooded areas and avoid touching exposed wiring.
• If the utility restores water after an outage and your water looks discolored, follow local boil or flush advisories; run cold taps for several minutes before drinking until it clears.

Common Homeowner Questions

• Q: How fast should I do these checks? A: As quickly as possible — the three checks take 5–15 minutes and save time by directing the right call.
• Q: What if one neighbor has water and one doesn’t? A: That could be a local line problem; still check the meter inlet and entry bib to confirm supply at your property.
• Q: Can I safely test the meter myself? A: Yes—observe the meter or test a nearby hose bib; don’t tamper with sealed meter covers or tools the utility owns.