Get Acquainted With Your Toby

Some people don’t know what a toby is, others don’t know where their toby is, and a few people, even if they find it, can’t turn it off in an emergency. A toby is the tap that controls all water flow to the house from the water main and it may need to be shut off in a hurry if a pipe bursts or natural disaster strikes. Routine maintenance such as replacing a leaky tap washer also means the toby must be closed.

Because they are not used very often, tobies can stiffen or rust up, and the problem is made worse by opening them until they jam at their maximum limit.

Tobies only require a few turns to release full flow. Please check that yours works – better now than adding to your woes during a natural disaster.

Tobies are usually located on the boundary at the front of your property, under the black plastic lid. If you can’t find it, give the Council a ring and customer service staff will direct you to the precise location.

If the toby proves stubborn to release, don’t try brute force because it may break. Again, give the Council a ring and a service-person will be dispatched to free the tap up or replace it.