Quick Answer
If an irrigation line is leaking, you may not need to shut off the water to your entire home.
Many Surprise and West Valley homes have a separate irrigation shutoff valve. It is commonly located on or near the brass backflow-prevention assembly outside the house.
Look for one or two large lever-style handles attached to the irrigation pipe.
- Handle parallel with the pipe: Water is on.
- Handle perpendicular to the pipe: Water is off.
Turn the large irrigation shutoff handle one-quarter turn by hand until it is perpendicular to the pipe.
If the assembly has two clearly identifiable large handles and you are unsure which side supplies the irrigation system, you can place both handles perpendicular to their respective pipes to isolate the assembly and landscape system.
Your indoor faucets should continue working if you have shut off the correct irrigation line.
Where to Find the Irrigation Shutoff
Start at the front of the property near the exterior hose bib, water-service entry, or main house shutoff. On many West Valley homes, the irrigation shutoff or brass backflow assembly is installed in this general area.
If you do not see it there, walk the perimeter of the house and look for exposed copper or brass piping with one or two large lever-style handles.
The assembly may be:
- Beside the garage or an exterior wall
- Partially hidden behind shrubs
- Inside a protective cover or enclosure
- Near the irrigation valve boxes
- Close to where the home’s water service enters the property
Locations and plumbing configurations vary. Make sure you have identified the irrigation line before turning anything.
After closing the suspected irrigation shutoff, test an indoor faucet. The house should still have water if you selected the dedicated irrigation line.
What the Shutoff May Look Like
A common Surprise-area setup is a pressure-vacuum-breaker assembly with a large shutoff valve on each end. These valves allow the backflow assembly and irrigation system to be isolated during emergencies, testing, maintenance, and repairs.
The two handles are not separate pressure settings. One is located on the inlet side of the assembly, and the other is on the outlet side.
Some homes have only one dedicated irrigation shutoff. The same handle-position rule normally applies:
- Parallel with its pipe means open.
- Perpendicular to its pipe means closed.
Handle colors vary. They may be blue, yellow, red, green, bare metal, or faded from sun exposure.
Do Not Turn the Small Capped Fittings
A backflow assembly may also have small brass fittings called test cocks. Some have small caps or protective rubber covers.
These fittings are used by qualified professionals to test the backflow-prevention device. They are not the main irrigation shutoff handles.
For an emergency irrigation shutoff, use the large quarter-turn lever handle—not the small capped fittings.
What to Do During an Irrigation Leak
- Turn the irrigation controller to Off.
- Go to the front of the property and look near the exterior hose bib, water-service entry, or main house shutoff.
- If it is not there, walk the perimeter of the house and look for the irrigation shutoff or brass backflow assembly.
- Identify the large quarter-turn handle connected to the irrigation pipe.
- Turn the handle by hand until it is perpendicular to the pipe.
- If there are two large handles and the setup matches the example, turn both perpendicular to their respective pipes.
- Check whether water has stopped at the leak.
- Test an indoor faucet to confirm that the house still has water.
- Leave the irrigation system off until the leak is located and repaired.
This gives you time to contact Arrowscape Lawn Care Services or another qualified irrigation professional without allowing the leak to continue wasting water or flooding the property.
If the Handle Is Stiff or Corroded
Outdoor irrigation valves can become stiff or corroded after years of sun, mineral exposure, and limited use.
First, try firm, steady hand pressure. Do not jerk the handle or attempt to force it suddenly.
Do not use a long pipe, extension bar, or excessive force. Pliers or a wrench can break a weakened handle, valve stem, fitting, or pipe and make the leak worse.
If the valve cannot be operated safely by hand, shut off the home’s main water supply during a serious uncontrolled leak and contact an irrigation or plumbing professional.
A damaged or seized irrigation shutoff should be repaired or replaced so it will work properly during the next emergency.
What If the Water Does Not Stop?
If the leak continues after closing the irrigation valve, one of several conditions may exist:
- The wrong valve was closed.
- The shutoff valve has failed internally.
- The leak is located before the irrigation shutoff.
- The property has a different irrigation configuration.
- Another water source is supplying the leaking line.
A leak located before the dedicated irrigation shutoff may require closing the home’s main water valve.
If you cannot confidently identify the irrigation shutoff, turn off the home’s main water supply during a serious uncontrolled leak and contact a professional.
Why Turning Off the Controller May Not Be Enough
Turning the irrigation controller to Off should stop scheduled watering, but it may not stop every type of leak.
The irrigation mainline may remain pressurized even when no watering zone is running. A cracked mainline, failed valve, damaged backflow assembly, or valve stuck in the open position can continue leaking after the controller has been turned off.
Closing the dedicated irrigation water supply physically stops water from feeding the landscape system.
Know Where the Valve Is Before You Need It
Do not wait for water to begin flooding the yard before looking for the shutoff.
Take a few minutes to locate and photograph your irrigation shutoff before an emergency occurs. Make sure other adults in the home know where it is and how to recognize the closed position.
Remember:
- Parallel with the pipe means on.
- Perpendicular to the pipe means off.
- Turn the large handle—not the small test fittings.
- Do not force a badly corroded valve.
Knowing how to isolate the landscape system can stop an irrigation leak quickly while allowing the home’s sinks, showers, and toilets to remain available.
Need Help Locating or Repairing an Irrigation Leak?
Once the water is safely shut off, Arrowscape Lawn Care Services can help evaluate visible irrigation problems for homeowners in Surprise, Arizona, and nearby West Valley communities.
Standalone irrigation visits have an $85 service and diagnostic fee. The fee is waived when Arrowscape completes the resulting repair. The visit includes a system diagnostic and help locating a suspected leak, but it does not guarantee the exact leak location.
Explore Arrowscape’s recurring landscape-maintenance service or request service.
If the problem requires specialized backflow testing, extensive underground diagnosis, plumbing work, or work outside our service scope, we will explain what we observed so you can contact the appropriate professional.
Safety Reference
Plumbing configurations vary. When you cannot identify the dedicated irrigation shutoff confidently, use the home’s main shutoff during a serious uncontrolled leak and contact a qualified professional.