Help turning on water supply in street

[steshaw74]

Hello there
I've just moved into a house that had the water shut off by a repo company.
I called Thames Water who told me to turn it on using the tap out on the pavement along side the water meter.
I located the pavement cover - a round disc about 6 inches in diameter - opened it, noted that the meter serial number coreesponded with the serial number given by Thames for my property and tried to turn the tap/valve.
The tap is turned by sticking your arm into the hols and twisting a plastic rod with a hexagonal end, that fits into the tap/valve.
The darn thing just kept turning and clicking and didn't seem to come to a positive stop, wheter turned clockwise or anti-clockwise.
Regardless, I tried opening up the stop taps in the house but with not success.
I also asked my girlfriend to listen by the house stop tap for the flow of water from the street vavle - but there wasn't any sound.
I'm now stuck.

Any advise or shall I just sit tight until Thames Water can come out?
Thanks in advance.

 

[dextrous]

Why would Thames Water be interested in your house, since according to your profile you're in Manchester?

 

[steshaw74]

Why would Thames Water be interested in your house, since according to your profile you're in Manchester?

Just moved to London from Mcr, hence the more immediate job of having running water rather than updating my profile on here!

 

[dextrous]

I assume you've tried to exert downwards pressure onto the fitting while you're turning it (as with, say a medicine bottle)?

 

[glasgowgas]

or that repo co, has put the blanking cap back on the meter outlet!

 

[fatplumber]

Nah he has the serial number and repos are onlyn interested in making the place safe. If the crutch is in line with the pipe then it is on. If accross then closed. Check it isn't off inside too.

 

[steshaw74]

I assume you've tried to exert downwards pressure onto the fitting while you're turning it (as with, say a medicine bottle)?

This sounds like the answer! I doubt I was putting on enough downward pressure whilst turning.
The medicine bottle analogy ehlped to make sense of it in my tiny brain.
Off to the house later and will give it a try.
Thank you

 

[Nige F]

The clicking could be a broken plastic thing. Forced to turn off by the repo "muscle"...now broke. Maybe , I never get North of Ashdown Forest, we still got hand pumps down here. Got a sideline making leather washers for them ...and other Leather Items

 

[steshaw74]

The clicking could be a broken plastic thing. Forced to turn off by the repo "muscle"...now broke. Maybe , I never get North of Ashdown Forest, we still got hand pumps down here. Got a sideline making leather washers for them ...and other Leather Items

Just to round off the thread in case it helps anyone in future,
Nige, you weren't far off! The repo muscle had turned it too tight but didn't managed to break the plastic tap. The Thames Water chap loosened it with a screwdriver and then tried the plastic key again...this time with success.

The repo guys did rip the outside loo to bits to pilfer the original Victorian cistern.......which meant water peeing everywhere once the water went back on. Every silver lining n' all that!
Thanks for everyones input.

 

[dextrous]

Thanks for the update.