To shut off the water to your house at the meter, you typically need a "water meter key" which is a specialized t-shaped tool used to access and turn the valve on your water meter box.

Most meter boxes will have a hole on the outside that the key fits in. Once the tool is in place on the shut-off valve, you are able to rotate the fin until it stops, shutting off the water.

A man who struck and killed his cousin with a water meter key in 2020 was convicted by a federal jury.

If you can't find it or if it's damaged, you should be prepared to access the city's shutoff valve in the meter box. To open it, you may need a water meter key, which you can buy at a hardware store.

Those supplies and tools include a water meter key, insulation for pipes, hose bib covers, battery-powered radios and flashlights, and one gallon of water per person and per pet for seven days.