What to do during an active water leak

Urgency decision matrix

When is water near electricity an emergency?

Water can carry electrical current. Ready.gov advises not touching electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water, and turning off electricity only if it is safe to do so. In practice: don’t walk into standing water to reach a breaker panel; don’t unplug cords that are wet or sitting in water; and if the panel itself is wet or you’d have to stand in water to reach it, stay away. Call an electrician, or 911 if there’s immediate danger.

When does a leak need emergency services?

Call 911 for a medical emergency, a shock injury, sparking, a burning smell, or water so deep or fast that leaving the area is difficult. A leak becomes an emergency-services matter when there’s risk to life, not just risk to property. Plumbers and leak investigators handle pipes, not emergencies involving people.

Where can you safely shut off the water?

Most buildings have two levels of control. Start with the closest one that stops the leak.

1. Fixture valve. Sinks, toilets and many appliances have small valves on their supply lines. Turn clockwise by hand. If it’s stuck, don’t force it — an old valve can break and make things worse.
2. Building main shutoff. This stops water to the whole building. It’s often where the supply line enters: a garage wall, a utility area, outside near the foundation, or near the water heater. In condos or multi-unit buildings it may be in a shared area, so check with building management.
3. Water heater. If water service remains shut off, follow your water heater’s manufacturer instructions or ask a qualified professional before changing its controls.

Once things are calm, find and label your main shutoff for next time.

When not to operate City-owned equipment

Meters and curb-side valves are utility-controlled equipment; ownership of nearby service-line components may depend on the connection. Do not open locked or damaged meter covers or operate meter-side valves or hydrants. If your building has no working main shutoff and the leak is serious, call City of Brisbane Public Works at 415-508-2130 and explain the situation.

Contain only what is safe to contain

• Place buckets or pans under drips
• Use towels to block water from running into other rooms
• Mop or wet-vac standing water on hard floors, but only where no electrical hazard exists
• Open cabinet doors under a leaking sink so the area can air out

Skip anything that means working under a heavy ceiling, in deep water or near live electrical equipment.

Protect items and avoid unnecessary use

Move only what’s quick to move: papers, dry unplugged electronics, rugs. Set furniture legs on foil or blocks if easy. Don’t haul heavy items across wet floors or stairs. Until the leak source is known: don’t run the dishwasher, washing machine or irrigation; don’t flush toilets on a line you suspect; don’t reopen the main “to check” repeatedly, since each time adds more water; and don’t use electric fans or heaters in wet areas until power safety is confirmed.

If water is coming from a ceiling

Keep people out from under any bulging or sagging section. Turn off light fixtures in that room at the switch only if the switch is dry and away from the water — otherwise leave power decisions to an electrician. Think about what’s above: a bathroom, kitchen, laundry, water heater or roof; that tells you which shutoff matters. Don’t poke or cut the ceiling yourself to drain it — a sudden release can bring down drywall. Once the flow is stopped, a ceiling stain still needs tracing. See hidden water leak detection.

If water is outside near the street

Water bubbling from the street, gutter, sidewalk or near a hydrant may be coming from public water infrastructure. Stay clear of moving water. The City’s Public Works department (50 Park Place) takes these reports at 415-508-2130. The City doesn’t list a separate after-hours water line on its Public Works pages; for after-hours reports, check the City’s current emergency-reporting instructions. Call 911 only if the water creates an immediate danger to people or traffic. If water is surfacing in your own yard, see underground water line leak detection and city main vs private water line.

What to photograph for your records

• The source, if visible, and the water spreading from it
• Stains, puddles and damaged materials, with something for scale
• The water meter reading, if the box is accessible
• Closed valves, so you can show what you shut off and when
• Damaged belongings before you move or discard them
• The time of each photo (most phones record this automatically)

If you plan to contact an insurer, keep these together. Don’t throw away damaged items before checking what your policy requires.

What to say during a help call

Detection versus repair after control

Stopping the water is control, not a fix. After that, two questions remain: where exactly is the leak? — when the source isn’t visible, an investigation narrows it down — and how should it be fixed?, which depends on what the investigation finds. A burst supply line under a sink may be obvious; a ceiling drip or wet floor usually needs more investigation. See water leak repair.

Damage mitigation may be separate

Drying out a room, removing wet materials and rebuilding are usually separate from finding and fixing the leak. Water mitigation and restoration companies handle that work; plumbers and leak detection providers often don’t. Ask each company exactly what it covers. EPA guidance recommends drying water-damaged materials within 24–48 hours where safely possible.

Active leak FAQs