No water in your house? What to check first
Try more than one tap, ask a neighbour whether their water is running, then contact your water utility. 211 notes that your utility's contact information is usually included on your monthly bill. EPA Region 8 notes that water distribution systems can lose pressure because of water main breaks, equipment failures or losses of power.
Find your water utility
Enter your ZIP code to open its TapWaterData page, which lists the water utilities serving that ZIP code and links to each one's page.
Is it the whole street? Check your utility
TapWaterData has no live outage data for any utility, so this page cannot tell you whether your street has an outage right now.
- Try more than one tap, including an outdoor one.
- Ask a neighbour on the same street whether their water is running.
- Check that your home's main shutoff valve is fully open, and look for a shutoff notice or an overdue balance on your water bill. Shut off for non-payment
- Contact your water utility. 211 notes that your utility's contact information is usually included on your monthly bill.
- When the water comes back, look for a notice from your utility. EPA Region 8 tells drinking water systems in Wyoming and on tribal lands in its region whose pressure loss is likely to last longer than one hour to issue a boil water advisory. Check boil water advisories by ZIP code
Sources: 211 (United Way Worldwide) (Verified ); U.S. EPA Region 8 (Verified )
Why the water stops
EPA Region 8 notes that water distribution systems can lose pressure because of water main breaks, equipment failures or losses of power.
Source: U.S. EPA Region 8 (Verified )
After a main break: can you drink the water?
EPA Region 8 explains that a loss of pressure can pull water from outside the pipe in through cracks, breaks or joints.
EPA Region 8, in its guidance for drinking water systems in Wyoming and on tribal lands in EPA Region 8, tells water systems whose pressure loss is likely to last longer than one hour to issue a Tier 1 public notice that includes a loss-of-pressure boil water advisory.
EPA says that when regular water service is interrupted, for example by a water pipe break, local authorities may recommend using only bottled, boiled or disinfected water until service is restored. For boiling, EPA's emergency guidance is a rolling boil for at least one minute, or three minutes above 5,000 feet.
Sources: U.S. EPA Region 8 (Verified ); U.S. EPA (Verified )
Shut off for non-payment
211 advises contacting your utility provider, explaining your situation and asking about options to help you pay.
211 says it helps with electric, gas, water or internet bills, and that you can call 211 to speak to a specialist. The Community Action Partnership locator finds a local Community Action Agency by name, ZIP, state, county, radius or service.
The federal Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) has no funding: households cannot receive LIHWAP benefits. LIHWAP was established by Congress in December 2020 and sunset on March 31, 2024.
Sources: 211 (United Way Worldwide) (Verified ); Community Action Partnership (Verified ); U.S. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services (Verified ); California Department of Community Services and Development (Verified )
In freezing weather: frozen pipes
The National Weather Service advises taking precautions so water pipes do not freeze.
The Philadelphia Water Department's frozen-pipe guidance says that when there is no water at your tap, first ask a neighbour whether they have water: if they do not, it may be a water main break, and if they do have running water, it is likely your pipes have frozen.
This page does not give instructions for thawing a pipe.
Sources: National Weather Service (NOAA) (Verified ); Philadelphia Water Department (Verified )
On a private well
EPA says private well owners are responsible for delivering safe drinking water to their households. EPA points private well owners to the National Ground Water Association to find certified water well contractors near them.
Questions
What do you do when there is no water in your house?
The checks on this page: try more than one tap, ask a neighbour whether their water is running, check that your main shutoff valve is fully open, and contact your water utility. 211 notes that your utility's contact information is usually included on your monthly bill.
How do I find out if there's a water main break?
TapWaterData has no live outage data, so this page cannot confirm a break near you. Contact your water utility. 211 notes that your utility's contact information is usually included on your monthly bill.
Can I shower if there's a water main break?
EPA says that when regular water service is interrupted, for example by a water pipe break, local authorities may recommend using only bottled, boiled or disinfected water until service is restored. EPA Region 8 tells drinking water systems in Wyoming and on tribal lands in its region whose pressure loss is likely to last longer than one hour to issue a boil water advisory.
Sources
- 211 (United Way Worldwide). “Utilities Expenses”. https://www.211.org/get-help/utilities-expenses (Verified )
- U.S. EPA Region 8. “Loss of Pressure in Drinking Water Systems in Wyoming and on Tribal Lands in EPA Region 8”. https://www.epa.gov/region8-waterops/loss-pressure-drinking-water-systems-wyoming-and-tribal-lands-epa-region-8 (Verified )
- U.S. EPA. “Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water”. https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/emergency-disinfection-drinking-water (Verified )
- Community Action Partnership. “Find A CAP”. https://communityactionpartnership.com/find-a-cap/ (Verified )
- U.S. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services. “Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)”. https://acf.gov/ocs/programs-services/lihwap (Verified )
- California Department of Community Services and Development. “Low Income Household Water Assistance Program”. https://www.csd.ca.gov/waterbill (Verified )
- National Weather Service (NOAA). “Cold: Before”. https://www.weather.gov/safety/cold-before (Verified )
- Philadelphia Water Department. “All About Frozen Pipes”. https://water.phila.gov/drops/frozen-pipes/ (Verified )
- U.S. EPA. “Private Drinking Water Wells”. https://www.epa.gov/privatewells (Verified )
- U.S. EPA. “Learn About Private Water Wells”. https://www.epa.gov/privatewells/learn-about-private-water-wells (Verified )
Last reviewed by TapWaterData Editorial. How we verify
Cite this page
"No water in your house? What to check first". TapWaterData, last reviewed 2026-10-11. https://www.tapwaterdata.com/no-water